Guardian: Lose Your Mind (Bk 3b)
by WhenYouLovedMe
Summary: After Kit wakes with no memories, Scott and his friends desperately try to make her remember them. Unable to fully believe their tale, she turns to her childhood friend, Emma, as the only one she can trust. The others begin to realize the Kit they knew might be gone forever. But no one knows what Emma's running from, or the "little secret" that'll put all their lives in danger.
1. Chapter 1: Rebirth pt2

**(AUTHOR'S NOTE: Rebirth pt1 is the last chapter of the last book, Guardian: This Might Hurt (Bk 3a))**

I was lying in the dirt. My breath was shallow. I let my head fall to the side. Tobias lay next to me, dead. The gun was lying in my limp hand at my side. I looked past him and at the Nemeton. It was time. I was done as the Kirin. And I was done in this life, in this world.

I felt hands on me. I was too weak to move. Something turned my head. It was Sam. What is he doing here? I was too numb to speak. I could barely make out a sound, let alone a word. He had blood on his clothes. But that didn't matter. He was too concerned with me.

I wanted to explain it to him. Tell him that I was done, that it was time for me to move on. But I couldn't. No matter how hard I tried. I couldn't speak.

I saw him through tainted eyes. My vision was now a dull green. The light behind my eyes, that spark that makes them glow, was gone. Lydia was right. I do die here. I should've known better than to doubt a Banshee.

My eyes stayed on Sam. He took my hand, but I couldn't feel it. Now my body was numb. His eyes glowed and the veins in his hands darkened. I knew what he was doing, but at the same time, I didn't. My eye lids became heavy. And I didn't fight them. I let them fall shut.

A warm feeling filed my body. I had this weird feeling like I had dozed off and was now waking, confused, not knowing how long I was a sleep. But all I saw was black behind my eye lids. And then that burning turned into a raging fire. I opened my eyes and roared, the sound of which was coming straight from my soul.

Once I stopped roaring, my eyes grow heavy again. I only saw glimpses of the world. And I wasn't quite sure what they meant. There was a man beside me. His eyes glowed a golden yellow. And then he fell over. I let my head roll, thinking he was stupid, as my eyes closed. But I wasn't sure why.

 **(SAM'S POV)**

"Sam!"

Someone shook me violently. My head throbbed and my body ached. Moving was the last thing I wanted to do. And then I remembered what happened. I opened my eyes and rolled onto my back. Derek had been the one shaking me awake. I looked just past him and saw Scott and Isaac. They were getting everyone out from the root cellar that was under the Nemeton.

"Sam," he said again. This time he was a little calmer about it. I looked at him. My eyes only stayed a second before I looked at Tobias' body a few feet away. "What happened? Where's Kit?"

I slowly shook my head. "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" He took my hand and helped me to my feet. As soon as I was standing, I felt like all the blood had drained from my body. I wobbled, but he caught me. "Are you okay?" he eyed me, like I might break.

"Something's not right," I said, ignoring his concerns for me. I looked around like I'd lost something. Because I had. I lost Kit. I took a few steps, shaking off the dizzy. I spun, looking at Tobias and Derek and the Nemeton and Kit's insanely beat up car.

"Sam."

I looked at him. "She's gone."

"Who? Kit?"

I nodded and pointed at the ground, next to Tobias. "She was here. Before I passed out, she was here."

"Sam," Derek sounded worried now. "What happened?"

"I healed her," I paused, letting my eyes show their new color, the color of a Beta. It's a role I've never played before, and so far, it doesn't feel very good. As soon as he saw my eyes, Derek's features visibly softened. He had just given up being an Alpha to save his sister, so I know he knows how bad Kit had to have been in order for me to give it up, too. "And now she's gone."

While Derek thought of a reply, Lydia walked up to us. I only met her a couple hours ago at Derek's loft, but I've heard plenty from Kit. I knew that the look on her face wasn't a good thing. "She's not gone," she corrected. "Taken."

"Taken?" I asked. "By who?"

"Not who. What." She turned around and looked at the Nemeton.

"Lydia," Derek said. "If you know where she is, just tell us."

She looked at him. "I don't know where she is. And I don't know if she's ever coming back."

I sighed. "So she's at least alive?"

Lydia looked at me. "I don't know."

 **ONE MONTH LATER…**

 **(EMMA'S POV)**

I walked through the woods, the cold night wind cutting through my purple leather jacket. I knew I should've worn more, but I didn't have time. I had a lead and I had to follow it. The others call me crazy, but I'm not. I know what I saw, what I felt. It had to be her.

I let the moon light guide my path. I wasn't afraid of what I might run into out here. I walked about ten more feet, around a large cluster of trees. And there it was. I stopped and stared. It was the same large tree stump I had seen all those years ago.

I gingerly walked closer, afraid it might leave at any second. I've heard rumors that it can move, go wherever it wants. And now that it's alive again, who knows what it might do. A faint heartbeat tickled my ears, and hope grew inside of me. I walked a little faster.

I reached the Nemeton, putting a hand over my mouth as I gasped. It was her. It was Kit. She's older, but I knew it was her. She was lying across the top of the stump without any clothes on, like she had recently shifted into her animal form. I reached out to touch her when a branch snapped in the distance.

I froze and listened. Heavy footsteps were coming. A few of them. They were up wind from me, so I took a sniff. It's a couple of humans and…an Alpha. The human's I can handle, but not the Alpha. It's too risky. I backed away, listening. One of them was running his mouth the whole time. One of the girls was leading them, giving the Alpha directions.

I ran as quietly as I could, trying to find a place to hide. I found a tree with a large trunk and slid behind it. I turned around so I could see them. They broke the tree line about a minute later. There were two girls and three boys. The girls were human, so was one of the boys. The other was an Alpha and a Beta.

I sunk back a little, making myself smaller. He brought his pack. A couple of them were shocked that they found the Nemeton. They walked up to it and found Kit. I was surprised when they called her by name. They knew her.

"How did she get here?" the taller human girl asked.

"And what happened to her clothes?" the other girl asked. She was the one leading them. Somehow she knew how to find the Nemeton. The Beta, the tallest of the boys, took off his coat. He and the Alpha positioned it on Kit's body.

"Hey!" the human boy said. "I think I have a blanket in my Jeep." And then he ran back the way they came.

"I don't know what she's doing here," the Alpha said. "But she's alive. And, right now, that's all that matters." Could Kit have been a member of his pack? Why would she even need a pack? She's the Kirin. Or, at least, she used to be. My weight shifted and heel came down just right on a tree branch, breaking it. I cringed.

"What was that?" one of the girls asked. I ducked behind the tree, as they all looked my way. I slowly bent down, listening to them discuss what could've caused the noise. But they knew it came from over here. And, if they're smart, they'll listen for a heartbeat.

My fingers found a stone and I grabbed it. I stood and launched it into the air, throwing it over the Nemeton. It landed on the other side of it, drawing their attention that way. I quickly turned and ran, heading back where I came from.

 **(KIT'S POV)**

I sat up with a gasp, my head throbbed. I put a hand to it, like that would do any good. I looked around the room. Where am I? The door opened and a teenage boy walked in, with another just behind him. "Hey, you're awake," the first one said, clearly happy, and sat on the bed a foot from me.

I sat up and pulled my knees up to my chest, where I held them. "Am I?"

"Yeah," the first boy looked at the second and scoffed. The other boy shrugged. The first looked at me, suddenly concerned. "Why wouldn't you be?"

I paused. Was he for real? I shook my head. "I'm sorry, who are you?"

He laughed. "Ha, I see what you did there. Good one, Kit." On that last part, he reached out to playfully tap me, but that's not how it felt. I jumped back, slamming into the head board and sliding across the bed. "Whoa!" the boy flew to his feet and stood next to the other.

"It's okay," the second boy stepped forward.

"I didn't think she was serious," the first boy told him. The second boy walked closer to the bed, but I quickly got off of it and backed into the wall. There was something about him. He was different, more intimidating. He had power. The kind I was taught to fear.

He instantly stopped. "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you."

"Where am I?" I asked.

"You're at my house."

"And where's that?"

The boys looked at each other. Then the first spoke, "Do you really not remember?"

"Answer the question." My pulse was rising and I could feel myself wanting to shift. I closed my eyes, trying not to change.

The second boy spoke. "Okay. You can calm down." He spoke softly. "My name is Scott. You're in Beacon Hills."

I looked at him. "Where the Hell is that?"

"California," the other replied with a raised eye brow. He looked in disbelief.

"Well, I don't belong here," I said. "I need to go home. My Pride will be worried about me."

"You're 'Pride'?"

"I meant family," I tried to correct myself, but it was too late.

"It's okay," Scott said. "See?" his eyes glowed red for a second. "I'm like you."

"No. You're not. You're worse."

"Kit, we're just trying to help."

"Stop calling me that; that is not my name. It's just a nickname my friends gave me and only they can use it!"

"Okay." He swallowed, uncomfortable. "What is your name?" Then he changed his mind. "What should we call you?"

"Ann," I said. "My name is Ann Keller." They were speechless, and gave each other weird looks.

"You should call Derek," the first boy said to Scott.

"Who's that?" I asked. They looked at me funny again.

"Yes, call him now, Scott. Now! Tell him to get his butt back here."

Scott pulled a cell phone out of his pocket and then left the room. I watched him leave. "Where is he going?"

"Oh, he just needs to call a friend."

"Who are you?"

"Stiles. Stiles Stilinski," he said proudly.

"That's your name?" I scoffed and he nodded. "Wow. Who hated you?"

He looked offended, about to say something and then didn't. Instead he stepped forward. I pushed further into the wall. "Okay. I'll stay here." He stopped.

"You're not like him, are you?"

"Who? Scott?" he asked and I nodded. "No, I'm human. But can I ask you something?"

I nodded. "Sure."

"Um, Ann," he started as Scott walked back in. "What do you remember last?"

I thought hard. "I was in the woods…"

"Were you alone?"

"No. I was with my friend."

"You mean Tobias?"

I shook my head. "No, she was like me."

"A were…cat?" he asked and I nodded. He glanced at Scott and then looked back at me. "One more question: how old are you?"

I looked down at myself. "Well, clearly I've grown. But in that memory, I was ten."

"Ten! Like, years?!"

"Yes. How do you measure age?"

He rolled his eyes. "Derek can't get here fast enough."

"He can't bring back her memory," Scott told him.

"Well, he can do something!"

"He's not answering, Stiles."

"Okay," I said. "Well, I need to go."

"NO!" they both shouted.

"You have to stay," Scott said.

"I need to go home, to my Pride," I said.

"Yeah, what is that?" Stiles asked.

"Ugh, Humans," I sighed. "A Pride, it's like a pack."

"You had a pack when you were ten?" Scott asked me. "What happened to them?"

"Nothing happened to them. They are fine! And I'm leaving!" I moved two feet and Scott jumped in front of the door.

"I can't let you do that," he said.

"Move," I growled, my teeth growing to fill my mouth. "Or do I have to remind you why our kinds don't get along?"

"Okay," Stiles said, "why don't we all just calm down, here. Okay? I'm sure there's a way we can all get along without the teeth and the claws and all that."

I ignored him, my eyes glowing green. "You can't keep me here!"

Scott straightened, getting out of his defensive stance. "You're right."

"Scott?" Stiles questioned. "What are you doing?"

He looked at him. "She's right, Stiles."

"Yeah, but, Scott, we can't just let her walk away. Not after all that we've been through together." He glanced at me and then looked back at Scott. "I mean…it's Kit."

He shook his head, a look of defeat resting on his face. "Not our Kit."

I straightened, retracting my teeth and letting my eyes return to normal. What they were saying was drawing my interest. These boys meant what they were saying. "What are you talking about?" The boys shared a glance. I crossed my arms. "Tell me, or I'm kicking both your butts."

Scott looked at me. "It's kind of hard to explain."

"Try me."

Stiles sighed. "Where do you want us to start?"

"Tell me how I got here." I gestured at my clothes, "And, whose clothes are these?"

"They're yours. A friend of ours, Allison, went to your house and got them."

"I have a house? Wait. Why did I need clothes?"

"When we found you, you were," Scott paused, seeming uncomfortable. "Well, naked."

"And where was I?" I asked. The naked thing didn't bother me, I was used to it. You had to be if you were a shape shifter. Nothing was secret.

"In the woods; just outside of town."

"How did I get there?"

"We don't know."

"You don't know?"

"That's the complicated part," Stiles said.

"Well, un-complicate it."

They shared another glance. Then Scott spoke, "Do you know what a Kirin is?" I nodded, unsure what that had to do with anything. "Well…you were it, you were the Kirin."

"And then," Stiles said, "we had to ritually sacrifice ourselves to save our parents, and when we did that, the Nemeton came back on."

Scott nodded. "And it was taking it's powers back from you."

"We think."

"And then you were fighting Tobias-"

"Your ex fiancé, by the way."

"-And you got hurt pretty badly. So, Sam gave up being an Alpha to heal you. And then your body vanished."

Stiles stepped in again, "Sam is your father's adoptive son."

"We've been looking for you for the last month," Scott continued. "It wasn't until last night that we found you." They both waited for me to say something.

"Well…?"

"That…" I said. "That was un-complicating it?" I looked at both of them. "Are you kidding me? You expect me to believe you?"

"It's the truth," Scott said.

"Yeah, your truth."

"We're your friends, Kit," Stiles said, then he quickly corrected himself, "Ann."

"Yeah, we were all like a pack," Scott added.

"A pack? Why would I need a pack when I have people back home?"

"I don't know. We didn't even know about those people."

"And who is 'we'? How many were there?"

"Uh, let's see." Stiles held up his fingers to count on them. "There was Scott and I, Lydia, Allison, your niece, Isaac, and Derek, your…boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?" I questioned. "I don't think so. I also don't have a niece."

"Yeah, well that's even more complicated."

I sighed and rubbed my temples. I had a killer head ache. I huffed and then looked back at them. "Just answer one simple question." Both boys perked up, clearly happy to jump at a chance to answer. "Why should I believe anything you say, when everything you're telling me goes against everything I know to be true?"

Stiles retracted, clearly not even going to try to answer. Scott thought about it. He shrugged. "Let me ask you a question. Why would we lie to you?"

I sighed, grumbling to myself. He was right. As far as I could tell, neither boy had a reason to lie to me. But then again, I don't know them. And I'm talking to an Alpha. That right there tells me this is some kind of lie. I put my hands on my hips, studying both of them. They waited eagerly for me to speak.

"Okay," I said. "I'm giving you twenty four hours to prove to me what you're saying is true." Stiles started rejoicing, so I held up a finger to stop him, "But…if I don't believe you, I don't care what I have to do, I'll be leaving Beacon Hills and never returning."

Their expressions grew serious. Scott nodded. "Okay." He glanced at Stiles and then back at me. "Then I guess we better get started."


	2. Chapter 2: The Proof of Memories

I followed Scott and Stiles out of the bedroom and down the stairs. They were taking me somewhere. They wouldn't tell me. I stopped at the bottom of the steps, my eyes on the living room. Stiles had been talking none stop, so I tuned him out. I walked toward the living room, stopping a foot from it.

There was a baby gate up that blocked off the living room from the rest of the house. I looked in, following the trail of toys across the room to a little boy sitting by the couch on the floor. He was wearing a little pair of jeans and a shirt with a big yellow dump truck on it.

I glanced at the others, realizing that Stiles had stopped talking. They both stared at me. I wanted to say something, but words didn't come. I looked back at the kid as he played. His short, blonde hair was all in a mess and drool hung down from his chin.

I snapped out of my trance and looked at Scott and Stiles. "Uh…who's kid?"

"Um," Stiles glanced at Scott, almost like he needed permission. "That's Charlie. He's Blair's son."

"Who's Blair?" I asked. Both of their expressions dropped, their shoulders sagging. I'm supposed to know the answer, but I don't. "What?"

"She was your sister," Scott said.

"Sister? I'm an only child."

"No, you're not," Stiles sighed. "Your father-" he paused, looking for the name.

"Phil," I said.

"Yeah. He's not your actual father," he finished. "Biologically."

"Then who is?"

"His name was Ben Johnston; he was a deputy at the sheriff's station."

"Why are you using past tense?"

Stiles looked at Scott. Scott then answered, "Because, two days before you vanished…he died. He was murdered, right in front of you. In front of all of us."

I swallowed. I'm not sure how to feel. This could still be all just one big lie. But what if it isn't? What if I really had another father? One who's dead? "What about Blair? Where is she?"

Stiles tossed his keys in his hand nervously. "She's…also dead. She, too, was murdered."

"And I saw that, too, I assume?"

They nodded.

"By the same person?"

"No, Tobias killed her," Scott said. "But it was the same night."

I looked at the boy, Charlie, and then back at the others. "So why is he here? Shouldn't he be with his father?" They shared another glance. "Just tell me," I sighed.

"Tobias was his father," Stiles said.

I scrunched up my face in confusion. "I thought Tobias was my ex fiancé, and killed Blair?"

"He was and he did."

"And he's the boy's father? How?"

"We don't know," Scott shrugged. "You never got the chance to tell any of us, before…before you forgot."

"Come on," Stiles opened the front door. "Scott's mom's taking care of him."

I followed them out the door. "So why do you guys have him?"

"We take turns," Scott said, as we all walked to the curb.

"Who's 'we'?"

"Me, Stiles, Allison."

"Yeah," Stiles groaned. "Unfortunately, I'm next. So let's hope you get your memory back before then so I don't have to go through that again."

"Why would I take care of him?"

Scott looked at me. "Ethan and Aiden overheard you telling Blair, as she died, that you'd raise her son for her." He looked for a reaction. "They also said she made you promise something, but they didn't hear that part."

"So they say," Stiles scoffed with disbelief, as he climbed into the driver's seat of an old, blue Jeep.

"I sense distrust," I said.

So Scott clarified. "Ethan and Aiden were Alphas, twins. They were a part of Deucalion's and Tobias' pack of Alphas."

"A pack of Alphas?" The thought of one Alpha, and standing here in front of Scott, is bad enough. I can't imagine a whole pack of them. Scott nodded. "And, Tobias was an Alpha? One I died fighting?"

"Yes-"

Stiles popped his head out of the driver's window. "Well, actually, you didn't die. He almost killed you, but Sam saved you."

"And Tobias is…?" I said.

"Dead," Stiles said. I didn't reply and he saw the confused look on my face. "Just get in."

I followed Scott to the other side of the Jeep. "You said they 'were' Alphas, past tense again. What does that mean?" Scott opened the door for me so I could climb into the back seat.

Stiles looked back at me. "You really have a thing for grammar, don't you?"

"Yeah, and I have a feeling I was probably silently correcting a lot of yours," I smirked, with dry humor. "I'm just trying to piece all this together. I want to know exactly how badly I need to hurt you as I make my get away."

"Okay." Stiles turned around to face the front. "Gosh, she wasn't like this before."

Scott got into the car. "Has she ever threatened you before?"

"Not like that!"

I leaned forward. "I can hear you." Stiles jumped and flew to the side, slamming into his door. "Drive. Your clock is ticking." I sat back. Stiles mumbled something as he started the car and began driving. On the way to wherever, Scott told me about Deucalion and the pack of Alphas.

He then told me about Tobias, and how I used to know him. How I was engaged to him. How I had this whole other pack with this Sam guy I still don't know, and how Tobias killed all of them but Sam, me, and Blair. Then he said I thought Blair was dead for four years, but that wasn't true.

He went into greater detail about how my 'father' died. Apparently I wasn't on good terms with him…? I guess he did some stupid stuff. He doesn't sound like someone I would like. I mean, five children with three different women? Crazy. He tells me I have a brother, Daniel, who's dead, too. Shocker.

He died because of Tobias, with the rest of my 'pack'. But I have a brother who's alive, who's the son of my mother's adoptive sister. I know about my mom's adoptive sister, Lily. I knew that she got married and had one boy, but I never knew anyone's names.

I guess the man she married is my 'real' dad, Ben, and their son at the time was Sam, this guy I had a pack with. But the one they're talking about is Aaron, another brother. My head was hurting more and more by the minute. I was very thankful when we arrived at our destination. It was a simple house in a normal neighborhood.

There was already a car here and two people waiting, a girl and a guy. Great. More people that I 'know'. I got out of the Jeep after Scott. The three of us walked up the driveway and to the people. Scott looked at me. "This is Allison and Isaac."

I nodded, not much I could do or say. I don't know these people. Stiles called Allison my niece, but I don't know how that's true. They haven't gotten that far into their story. I looked at Scott. "Why are we here?"

Stiles put his hands on my shoulders and guided me up the walk. "This is your house." I shook from his grasp, growling at him. He retracted. "Sorry, I forgot. No touching." I scowled at him before walking up the path and to the house. I heard the others following me.

I reached for the knob, the door was unlocked. I glanced at the others and then walked inside. The inside was just as simple as the outside. There weren't any pictures or art work on the walls. The furniture was okay, but you could tell it was used. I glanced around and then looked at the others. "This is it? I lived here?"

"Yeah," Scott said. "Sometimes."

"What does that mean?"

"You'd spend some nights at Derek's."

I slowly nodded, thinking. "Right…" I turned around and slowly walked through the house. "This boyfriend I, supposedly, have. Where, exactly, is he?"

"Uh…we don't know. After you vanished, he left with his sister, Cora."

I walked down the hall, thinking. I put my hand on the wall, letting it slide as I walked. I stopped at the first room on the right, pushing the door open. This was clearly the master. I walked over to the bed and sat down. My eyes drifted to the night stand. There was a picture of two boys.

I picked it up and looked at it closer. They were standing next to each other, clearly posing for the photo. One was tall with dark hair, older. The other was shorter, light hair, younger. He looked about Scott's and Stiles' age, maybe younger. I sat it back down and then meandered across the room.

I went to the dresser, pulling out the first drawer my hands came to. I picked through the clothes. I pulled out of black shirt and held it up. The front read "100% Human". I scoffed, wading it up and shoving it back into the drawer. Ridiculous. Who would wear that?

I slammed the drawer, a waft of something hitting my nose. I knew it was mine, my scent. But there was something else. Something…familiar. It wasn't detergent, but I couldn't place it. I looked around, trying to tell where the smell was coming from.

Something poked out from under the dresser, so I bent down and grabbed it. It was a black shirt, clearly too big for me. After examining it, I brought it to my nose and gave it a good sniff. Yep, this was it. This was the source of the strange smell. But at the same time, it wasn't really strange. Like I said, it was familiar. Somehow. I don't know.

"Well, what are we going to do?" Allison asked. I tilted my head, listening. They were talking in a hushed voice, in the living room. Talking about me behind my back.

"I don't know," Scott said defensively.

"Have you gotten a hold of Derek, yet?" I'm assuming that's Isaac.

"No."

"Look," Stiles said, "she gave us twenty four hours, okay? We need to figure out how to get her to remember us."

"There's nothing she remembers?" Allison asked.

"Nope."

"What about Charlie?" Isaac asked.

"No," Scott said. "Not even him."

"Yeah, but she never knew him," Stiles said. "She never met the kid, just talked about him."

"So?" Isaac said. "She knows us, and that's not working."

"Yeah, but she doesn't know us know us. I mean, she barely knows Allison, or Isaac. She knows Scott and me, a little better, but that's not working."

Allison sighed. "So what do we do?"

"Find someone she does know…?"

"Like my dad."

"And Derek," Isaac said.

"And Deaton," Scott added. "He was Talia's Emissary. She knew Talia, maybe she knew him."

"But…didn't she live with the Hales when she was a Kirin?" Isaac questioned and Scott sighed.

"Okay, good, that's a start," Stiles said. "But you're all forgetting something?" There was a pause. "Aaron. If anyone is going to know her know her, it'll be him."

I sighed, returning to normal hearing. They were desperate, I'll give them that. But, if this were a lie, they are going to some crazy lengths to make it look real. But what if it is real? Could me life have gotten that messed up? I left the room and walked down to the next one.

I walked into that room, overwhelmed by the smell. It wasn't bad, or anything. It was someone's scent. It was strong. Masculine. I sniffed hard. A werelion lived here. If this is my house, why did I have a lion living here? I walked out of the room, making a note that the scent in that room didn't match the odd one on the shirt in my room. They told me Allison came and got clothes for me, but it wasn't her scent, either.

I walked back to the living room, watching as they quickly hushed. I pretended I didn't notice and that I hadn't heard what they were saying. I stopped feet from them, pointing back down the hall. "Why was there a werelion, here?"

Stiles smiled. "That's your brother, Aaron. He lived here for a while."

"Why?"

"He wasn't always a lion," Scott said. "After he was…bitten, he moved in with you so you could help him learn to control it." I nodded. That seemed like something I would do.

"And where is he now?"

"He moved to Oregon, to live with Sam."

"But," Stiles held up a finger, staring at his phone. "He should be in town any minute. He'll meet us at our next stop."

"Where's that?" I asked.

"Uh…" Scott glanced around. "It's a surprise…?"

I crossed my arms. "Was that a question?"

Stiles moaned. "Why do you ask so many questions? Just get in the car and you'll see when you get there. Okay?" I didn't argue. I got back in the Jeep with Scott and Stiles. This time, we followed Allison and Isaac.

Scott looked at me. "Did you recognize anything in the house?"

"No." That was all I had to say. I didn't mention the strange shirt with the scent, or the picture. He faced forward and didn't say anything else until we got there. This building had multiple levels. Many people lived here. We took the elevator up to the top floor. Allison led the way. No one said anything.

I was wondering why we were here, but I figured I'd wait and find out. Stiles was already annoyed with me. I'm sure the others were, too. I hope they know I'm not doing this to be a jerk. I really mean what I say. I don't remember them. They seem like nice people, but that doesn't mean they are or that I can trust them.

Allison opened the door to one of the apartments and then walked inside. Everyone else followed, like they'd done this a million times. I'm sure I have, too – I mean, I'm sure they'll say I have. None of this looks familiar. Should it? Would I even know? All I remember is something that happened years ago.

"Dad," Allison called as we followed her down the hall. Scott was at the end of the line, closing the front door behind us. With each step I took, the feeling like something was wrong grew inside of me. I wasn't sure why. I felt like I wanted to run. Like, I needed to run.

Gun powder and metal laced the air, along with Allison's scent and one other. A man. Most likely her dad. But there was something about this one. It's what was making me want to run. We rounded a corner, into what looked like an office. Allison's dad sat at the desk, looking down at his papers. But I stopped at the doorway. I knew what this was. I knew who he was. Allison's dad looked up at me right as I took a step back, into Scott.

"Whoa," Scott said, righting me. "You okay?" I knew I looked terrified, but I didn't care. I was. I was completely terrified.

"It's okay," Allison's dad stood, cautiously. He seemed to know what I was thinking. "You're safe, Beckett. I'm not going to hurt you."

I could tell by the looks on everyone else's faces that it was starting to click. That they shouldn't have brought me here. Scott said so right after I thought it. "Maybe this was a bad idea."

"You think?" I tried to leave, but he and Isaac blocked the doorway. "Move," my eyes lit up green. Isaac looked alarmed, but stayed since Scott did. As a Beta should.

"Beckett," Allison's dad said, and I rolled my eyes. They turned back to normal as I turned around. He was still standing in the same spot, hands up, where I could see them. "I take it you know who I am."

"Now I do," I said. "You're a hunter."

"I was. But I don't do that anymore."

I scoffed. "Right. Picking up a gun is easy; it's putting it down that's hard."

"How do you know me?"

"I know of you," I corrected. "But all Argents are the same."

"Well, that's not so true, anymore. There was a time when it was. But things are different now."

"How? Because your daughter's friends with a few of us?"

"No. Because I learned that humans can be monsters, too." He glanced at Allison, then looked back. "I know they told you Allison's your niece. But did they tell you how?" I shook my head. He gestured toward the chair in front of the desk. "Have a seat and I'll explain."

I crossed my arms. "I'll stand."

"Alright." He let out a breath, like he was preparing for the longest speech in his life. "My name is Chris, and I'm your uncle. My parents had three children, one of which, we were told, didn't make it. That child was your mother. My mother, your grandmother, took her somewhere she knew she'd be safe, found her a new home. That's how she became adopted into the family she was raised by. I didn't know until a few months ago, and neither did you. But I've known you longer than that.

"Before I knew you were supernatural, that you were the Kirin, we were hunting you. When you saw we were getting close, you joined us. Disguised yourself in our ranks. You hid among us for years. You became like a daughter to me. And I know you felt the same for me. We were both shocked to find out that we were related by blood. We've had our differences, but it never changed where we stood with one another." He paused a moment. "A couple of nights before you vanished, you came to me. You wanted me to give you more of the serum we called Kirin's bane."

I sighed. "What would I need with that?"

"The Nemeton was taking it's power back, but the battle wasn't over. You didn't want to be completely defenseless when the lunar eclipse started."

"I wouldn't be, anyway. Cats aren't affected by the moon like others."

"I know. But the Kirin would've lost all it's power, like the werewolves did. By taking the serum, you became a tiger again. When you came to me, you knew facing Tobias might end with your death, but you were hoping to take him to the grave with you. I decided to give it to you because I knew the same thing you did; you were the only one who could stop him. And you did."

I was seething on the inside. I didn't want to believe a word out of his mouth, let alone share the same blood! Yuck! I sucked a full lungs worth of air through my nose, before calmly letting it out of my mouth. I wasn't looking at him. I didn't want to. But I had to for what I was going to say next.

"You say we were close?" I questioned.

He nodded, "Yes."

"And…in any of our heart-to-hearts, did I happen to mention how your family killed my parents?" I asked. All eyes were on Chris. His eyes were wide, too. He didn't know. Oh, well. I don't regret saying it. Someone had to let the cat out of the bag. I scoffed. "Right. Pretend you don't know."

"I don't," he said.

"I find that hard to believe. Why would I befriend someone who killed my parents?" I looked around the room. "No one? Really? Fine. I'll tell the tale. We spent my whole child hood hiding. From hunters or anyone who wanted people like my mom dead. Somehow the Argents found out what she was. They ran our car off the road, slammed into a tree. My mother was pinned under the dash, my father unconscious. She told me to run. And so I did. Two gunshots rang out behind me and I never saw them again."

The room was quiet. I guess no one had heard that story. I looked at all of their faces. "If I knew all of you, and I was really your friend, why didn't at least one of you know that?" No one replied. "Can you people give me any personal detail about myself?"

"Like what?" Stiles asked, his face horror stricken by my tale.

"Like…" I thought. "Like my birthday, my favorite color, the town I was born in, my middle name. Something like that, something only a friend would know." No one said anything. How am I supposed to believe these guys when they don't know anything?

"Your birthday is February 29th," a voice from behind me said. I turned around and found a young boy standing in between Scott and Isaac. He was the same boy from the photo on my night stand. He must be Aaron. They said he was going to meet us here. "Your favorite color is rain; which isn't a color, but you didn't care because you loved how it made you feel after a storm. You said that kind of feeling can only come from a color. You were born in Seattle, Washington. And your middle name is Liv; because that's what your mother wanted you to do."

I was speechless. This boy knew it all. "I…"

"That's not all," he pulled something out of his bag. "You were born Beckett-Ann Liv Lawson. You changed it to Ann Keller after your parents died and your best friend's family took you in." He stepped closer to me. "Everything they've told you is true. Just like everything you're saying is true." What he had in his hands appeared to be a book. He opened it to the first page and gave it to me. "This is you, in 1917. You were going by the name Mary Foster, then."

I took the book and examined it. It looked like me, the girl in the photo. But it was black and white and so old. "You told me a lot," he continued. "But I'm sure you didn't say everything. You liked your secrets. But the pictures don't lie. You were the Kirin. You were taken back to 1829, where you then lived out the rest of your life, coming to the present."

I flipped through the book, finding a picture of me in modern day. I was hugging some guy. I didn't know who he was, but I felt like I should. "That's Tobias," he said. Then he reached over and turned the page. "And that was your pack." The picture contained twelve or thirteen people. I studied the faces of each one. Shouldn't I know this?

"Here's how Deaton explained it to me," Aaron said. "After you defeated Tobias, the Nemeton was taking it's power back and you were going to die. When Sam stepped in and healed you, he managed to save your body, but the Nemeton was only going to give back so much of your memories. It left behind the ones you had before you knew what a Nemeton was, before the Kirin. We don't know if those memories will ever come back. But we can show you the life you've lived for 193 years."

This was too much. I closed the book and gave it back to him. "Maybe the girl you knew is dead. And maybe she should stay that way."


	3. Chapter 3: Believing the Tale

"If what Aaron said didn't convince me, what makes you think coming here will?" I questioned.

"Well, you see, I think that's your problem," Stiles said. He, Scott and I stood outside of his Jeep, parked in front of some warehouse. "I think you know we're telling you the truth. I just think you don't want to believe it." He turned and headed for the building.

"What are you talking about?" I followed him.

"My dad did the same thing, when we tried to tell him about all of this. I laid everything out, had lots of proof. But he didn't want to believe it." He looked at me. "I think that's your problem." We followed him inside the warehouse, to a dark room. Stiles found the switch and turned the lights on.

We were in some kind of mechanic shop, tools everywhere. In the middle of the room sat a very beat up, black Ford truck. As I circled it, some of the letters were missing, but I could see where it used to say Explorer. I completed my circle around it, examining every inch. I stopped at the hood, looking at Stiles. "What is this?"

"It's your car," he replied, walking toward it proudly.

"What happened to it?"

"It got trashed during your fight with Tobias."

I walked closer to it. The hood was gone, but a shiny new one sat a few feet away. Most of its front end was covered in those tiny holes that are made when pulling out large dents. One headlight hung out of it's socket. I walked to the driver's door. A piece of duct tape was across the handle, preventing it from being used.

I could tell the window was missing, like the wind shield. I peaked in the car, almost like something might jump out at me. "What happened to the steering wheel?"

"Good question," Stiles said. I looked at him just as he held up a steering wheel. "We found it about thirty feet from the car." The wheel was useless. Instead of a circle, it was a half moon.

I took a step back from the car. "Why is this here?"

"We've been fixing it. We have professionals come in once a week, and then we work on it when we can."

"Why? It's totaled."

"Yeah, but, we know how much you loved this car. You said it had sentimental value."

I shook my head. "Nothing has sentimental value to me."

"It did to the girl we knew," Scott said. But he sounded sincere, not like he was trying to make a point. Like Stiles was.

I turned to face Scott. "How is a beat up car going to make me remember?"

"Well, if people couldn't make you remember, we thought this might."

"Well, you're wasting your time." I left the way we'd come in. I headed to Stiles' Jeep. I crossed my arms and huffed. This was stupid. Who wastes their time and money rebuilding something that will probably never run again? I didn't mean that much to them. Did I?

What am I talking about? I don't know any of them. I don't know any of this, this town, this place. These people, humans, werewolves. Why would I have associated myself with them? I was taught that werewolves were unpredictable, that they couldn't be trusted. My own mother told me that. So why am I humoring these teenagers?

I heard Scott and Stiles coming. I felt trapped. I don't like being trapped. The closer they got, the more I panicked. So I ran. They called for me, but I ignored them. I ran for about ten feet, my eyes turning green. I dove forward, my hands turning into paws as they touched the pavement.

I heard feet behind me, someone chasing me. I didn't care. I ran down the road, past people and cars. I didn't care who saw my white and black striped butt. My paws moved in unison with each other, the breeze moved through my fur, and I felt alive. I felt free.

I felt like I had finally been set free. Like I hadn't done this in years, like I had lived on the edge thinking about it but never being able to actually do it. Until now. My ears pricked back. Scott called for me, and Stiles' Jeep was not too far behind.

Scott would never risk people finding out who he was in order to catch me. That much, I knew. And, according to his story, he was new to this whole Alpha thing. He didn't know just how fast he was. I stepped it up a notch, my legs moving faster. My lungs started to burn, feeling out of practice. But I pushed past it.

I recognized Allison's car coming down the road. I knew it was a chance to ditch Scott. I waited until the last possible moment and then I darted into the road. Her car screeched as she stomped on the brakes, but I leapt over the car, anyway. She was never going to hit me.

I landed in the trunk of the car, feeling the metal bend beneath my weight, all couple hundred pounds of me. I pushed off the trunk as the car doors opened. I heard Allison and Isaac calling for me as I kept running. I made it across the road and into the trees. I kept running until they let out into a vast expanse.

I wasn't sure where I was going, but my feet seemed to know. So I went where they took me. Scott and Isaac's foot steps behind me faded. I ran at my top speed, which used to be only about thirty five miles an hour. But I was a girl, then. Now I'm grown and was running at a tiger's top speed of fifty. Wolves max out at about thirty five, I'm told. So I knew I'd lost them.

I held onto that speed for about a mile before dropping to forty five. My speed slowly decreased until I was trotting through the woods, my fur caked in a thick lather of sweat. I heard leaves crunching and stopped. They couldn't have caught up with me, could they?

In the distance I saw two purple dots. They got closer, until I was able to see a body. A snow leopard approached me, it's white fur just as blinding as mine. It's eyes, a deep purple, stared me down. It stopped about two feet from me. Emma? I sat, allowing my body to shift back to human.

I sat on the forest floor, naked. "Emma?" She allowed herself to shift, too, appearing before me just as human.

She smiled. "You remembered me."

"Why wouldn't I?" Then I realized how much older she was. Just like me. "Em, that day in the woods…how long ago was that?"

Her smile slightly faded. "Fourteen years."

I sat back, stunned. "When did you see me last?"

"That day in the woods; when you touched the Nemeton."

"So it's true."

She nodded. "I've been following you, listening, watching. They aren't lying, Kit."

"How do you know?"

She scoffed. "You never did pay attention to detail. Have you even been listening to their hearts? It's not like it's hard. That one human boy has his on his sleeve."

"Where have you been?"

"Looking for you."

"Since that day?" I asked. She nodded. "You haven't done anything else?"

"Of course I have. But I never stopped looking for you."

"So you think what they're saying is true?"

"I think…I think they believe it's true. But I honestly don't know what you've been up to."

"Why are you here, Emma?"

"For you. I'm here to take you home."

"The Pride," I smiled. But I looked behind me. I heard voices way off in the distance. I looked back at her. "These people say they are my pack. Is that true?"

"I don't know. But everything we were taught was wrong, Kit. Werewolves aren't our enemy. Yes, some are bad, but you'll find that in any group. The bulk of them are good. And these ones definitely are."

I looked behind me and then back again. "Come with me."

"Kit-"

"I need someone I know, someone I trust. Don't leave me, please."

Her expression softened. "We said friends forever. And, I don't know about you, but I meant it." She smiled.

I smiled back, "Thank you." I had one ear in our conversation, and another behind me. They were getting closer. "Come. Why don't we lead them around for awhile?" I shifted back into my tiger form, Emma promptly shifted into the leopard. I stood on all fours and shook the few leaves off that had fallen on me. And then we ran.

It felt like old times, like nothing had changed. Racing each other in the woods was how we passed the time. I was tired from my first run, so I wasn't going as fast. But then I noticed Emma was having a hard time keeping up. I wasn't sure why, but I made sure I stayed next to her.

We made our way out of the woods and to the place that was my 'home'. Does it still count if I can't remember it? We both leapt over the tall backyard fence with ease, landing on the patio on the other side. I sifted back to human and then stood, Emma doing the same.

I walked to the sliding glass door and tugged on the handle. It was unlocked. I pulled the door open and helped myself; after all it is 'my house'. We both took showers and found clothes to wear. Then we sat down on the couch, our choice of drink in hand.

"So, what have you been doing all this time?" I asked.

She sighed. It was her normal, strained, 'you won't like this' look. I've gotten it many times. "Just…living."

"I mean it, Em. Fourteen years is a long time."

"I know," she sobered. Her eyes dropped. She wasn't telling me something. "Well, after you touched the Nemeton you vanished. I went back home and told my mother. She told me what it meant, that you'd been chosen Kirin, and that I'd probably never see you again. That was hard to take."

Her eyes were remembering. "I continued in school, and life went on. Like you were never there. It angered me that they all moved on so fast. But they all had jobs to do. And Koda, kept working on that peace treaty. From what I heard, it sounds like Koda was the hold out. But he and Talia Hale had come to an agreement, and then two days later the Hale house caught fire and everyone died."

"Oh, my goodness. That's terrible."

"Yeah. There were rumors one or two of the Hale children lived, because they weren't at the house when it burned down. I don't know if it's true. But it scared Koda. He thought the Argents were behind it and that they'd be coming for us next."

"Why would he think that?"

"Because on the last trip to our Pride that Talia made before the fire, the Kirin was with her. He suspected that the Argents were after the Kirin, not the Hales." She paused, like her words were supposed to mean something to me. "Koda told Mom the Kirin was you; grown up, of course."

My mouth fell open. "How – how is that possible? I thought I vanished."

"You did. But that's the thing about time travel," she smirked. "You lived all those years and then somehow ended up with the Hales. When I heard that it was you, I was so excited that you were alive. But, at the same time," she glanced down and then looked at me, "you came back, and you didn't find me. I don't know why you didn't, I'm sure you had your reasons, but back then I was very upset by it. And then the fire happened and I thought you died with them. And then I was mad at myself for thinking all the things I did."

I leaned forward and put my hand on hers. "It's okay. You have every right to be mad at me."

"Yes, but it's stupid. Do you even know what the Kirin does?" she asked and I shook my head.

"My mother never spoke of it. She said that if we did, we might curse ourselves into being next, and that being Kirin was a terrible thing," I told her. She shook her head with disgust. I wasn't sure why. My mother seemed very knowledgeable. And I never thought anything she told me was a lie. Could I have been wrong?

"Being the Kirin is a great responsibility. You have the powers of every supernatural being in the world, all of it at your disposal. You go around and help others, teach them to control their abilities, protect them when there's no one else to." She spoke with admiration and pride.

Even though I don't remember being such a creature, or doing those things, the way she talked about it made my chest swell slightly with pride at the thought that I could do that. That I could be that selfless to spend my whole life protecting and serving others.

"How do you know this?" I asked.

"Mom told me. She knows a lot about the Kirin."

"But…how'd she know?"

"I think she said that a distant relative, on her side of the family, was friends with a Kirin at one point. Probably the same one you met in 1829."

I sighed. "You heard that, too."

She nodded. "I could smell your fear when you walked into that Argent's house. I considered going in, but…I figured it wasn't a good time." My gut told me that wasn't the reason, but I didn't really care. "Do you believe them?"

"You do."

"That's not what I asked."

"I don't know. I had to have been doing something for the last fourteen years, right?"

"True."

"But, was it this?"

"Well, I think we can safely establish that you were the Kirin and then something happened that made you…not," she said. She was trying to see the up side, but I didn't want to. I was still in such a fog. This was all too much. "Well, from what I hear, these people need you. You've made quite the impression on them. I mean, look at the lengths they're going to to win you back. They're even taking care of your sister's child for you."

"Alleged sister," I corrected. "I don't know anything for sure."

"And they're fixing that piece of junk they call a car for you, all because you got attached to it."

"It's stupid, that's what it is. A complete waste of time and money."

"It's sweet." She cocked her head like she does when she wants me to see it her way. "You're clearly one of them."

"But I don't remember it, Emma. A whole life, fourteen years, just gone. And I don't know if I can ever get that back." I sighed. "What if I can't be the girl they think I am? Those memories, those events, they all made me the person they'd do those things for. I'm not her anymore."

"You're right. You're you. It's clear that they became friends with you; not a title, not an ability. They befriended the girl with the title and the abilities. Just like, I'm sure, you took them as they were." She sat forward, taking my hand in her's and squeezing it. I rolled my eyes. She's about to do her 'I'm your big sister and you better listen to what I have to say' thing.

"I think you need to follow it through; this is only day one. Who says you won't remember in a week?" she asked. I looked at her with doubtful eyes. "Or maybe never. But if you found your place in this town with these people once, can't you do it again?

"In the time you don't remember, there was a lot of heart ache. But you have friends and family that love you." She sat back. "Besides, what do you have to lose?"

I dropped my head in my hands. "If that was supposed to be a joke, it wasn't funny." I sighed and looked at her. "And, to answer your question, my mind. Which is what I'm doing right now."

She smiled. "Kit, I've spent years wanting my friend back. These people just lost theirs, and we happen to have the save friend."

"Meaning?" I didn't see her point.

"Meaning, that, if you were close to these people, who am I to show up and take you away?"

"But I don't remember them," I reiterated. How many times did I have to say it?

"Still doesn't mean you have to be a jerk to them," she said and I rolled my eyes. "But, the good thing about memories? You can make new ones."

After thinking long and hard, I agreed to Emma's terms. We walked up to Scott's house and I knocked on the door. He answered a minute later, relief flooding his face when he saw me. "Where were you?" he asked. "We looked everywhere." He reminded me of a concerned father.

I smiled. "Except right under your nose," I said. "We were at my house." It seemed only then did he notice Emma. "This is my friend who was with me on the last day I remember."

Emma quickly reached out her hand to shake his. "Emma Keller."

Scott shook her hand hesitantly. "Scott McCall."

"I'm sorry I ran off," I told him. "There were just too many people all telling me who I was, or what I should be. And I don't know if I can be it. Her. Who you want me to be." I shrugged. "I meant what I said. Maybe the girl you knew is gone forever."

"That's okay," he said, to my surprise. "But you're still our friend."

I smiled, something inside of me liked the sound of that. "Okay. Well, your twenty four hours isn't up, yet," I said as we walked inside. My eyes landed on the living room and Charlie playing with Stiles. Stiles did a double take when he looked up and saw me.

"So, remind me," I turned to Scott. "How did we meet?"

"Uh…?" he looked from Emma to me.

"It's okay. She's like us," I said.

Emma scoffed. "I'm a snow leopard."

I turned to her. "You can't even roar."

"Fine. It has it's down sides."

Scott chuckled, watching us. I looked at him, raised an eyebrow. "So?"

"Uh…okay," he smiled. "Well, it all started when you saw Peter bite me. You met Stiles, first, but you had been following us for a couple days. He led you to me, and coincidently, Derek. But, our lives crossed on the night of a full moon. Actually, it was my first…"


	4. Chapter 4: Anchors

I sat on the couch with Charlie on my lap. He was a very calm two year old. Nothing seemed to bother him. Scott and the others said that he didn't even seem to miss his mom. He's never once asked for her. I find that odd. Even little little kids know who their parents are and miss them.

There was a loud crash upstairs, followed by Mrs. McCall's voice. "Hey! You two supernatural teenage boys, don't test my entirely un-supernatural level of patience." She came down the stairs a minute later. She smiled at me as she walked by. "You sure I can't get you anything to eat, Hon?"

"No, thanks, Mrs. McCall," I said.

She stopped. "Please, call me Melissa."

"Right, sorry."

Emma walked past her, coming out of the kitchen with a cup of coffee. Melissa glanced at her. "And, uh…exactly how many supernatural people are going to be living under this roof?"

"Not me," Emma said, holding up her hands in defense. "That was a one night thing. I'll get a hotel room."

"No," I said. "You'll stay at my place."

She looked at Melissa. "I guess I'm staying with her."

Scott and Isaac came down the stairs as I spoke to Melissa. "We'll be out of your hair within the hour."

"You're not leaving, are you?" Scott asked me.

"I'm not leaving town, if that's what you mean," I replied, and he visibly sighed with relief. "But I have a house, so I might as well use it." But my words weren't taking the concerned look off his face. I stood, setting Charlie down. "Don't worry, Scott. If I'm going to skip town, I'll tell you first."

"Well, that's…" he paused and thought, "comforting, I guess."

We spent most of last night talking. Or rather, I was asking questions and he was answering. Stiles and Isaac were a part of it, too, and then Melissa, when she came home. But eventually, Melissa went off to bed with Charlie, since his bed's in her room. And Stiles fell asleep. Isaac had to keep bumping him to get him to stop snoring.

And then when Isaac started dozing off, I knew that we better call it quits for the night. I had forgotten Emma was even here because she was being so quiet. I think she was just processing and listening to people's hearts. She's always been good at telling when people are lying.

I won't say I believe everything Scott said just because he said it. But it's nice to have his side of the story. I just wish I had my side of it. But I'm trying to keep an open mind. They have nothing to gain by lying to me. I just can't believe that was my life. It sounds crazy. Like a movie, or a fairytale.

"Okay," he sighed. "Well, we'll come by your place after school?"

I nodded. "Sure."

"Oh, there's something else." He dug into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys. "These are for you." He held them out to me. I went ahead and took them, not knowing what they were for. "One is your house key and the other belongs to Blair's truck."

"Her truck?"

"Yeah. She'd left it at the hospital when she…" he trailed off, looking slightly uncomfortable. "The night she died. We didn't really know what to do with it, but we figured it's yours."

"Thanks." I still looked at the keys oddly. They felt weird in my hand. "Where's it been this whole time?"

"That, too, we've been tossing around. But, Allison dropped it off this morning, so it's out front."

"It's the big yellow thing," Isaac said. "You can't miss it."

I looked between them. "Thank you."

"We have to go." Scott and Isaac moved toward the front door. "See you after school, right?"

"Yeah," I nodded. I watched as they both left. Melissa helped me gather up all of Charlie's things and then we put them in Blair's pick up. Or, I guess, my pick up? I don't know. I know that she was supposedly my sister, but it feels weird thinking about driving a dead girl's car, with a dead girl's son. Isaac wasn't joking, though, that thing is yellow. Like, really YELLOW. You can probably see it from space.

After Melissa helped us, she headed off to work. She's a nurse at the hospital, which I'm sure I already knew. You know, once upon a time. Emma drove since I can't remember ever driving a car before. She said she'd teach me, that it was like riding a bike, that you never forget it. She called it muscle memory. But I never learned to ride a bike, either.

She glanced at me as she drove. "Do you even know how to take care of that thing?" I rolled my eyes. I knew she was referring to Charlie. There wasn't room for his car seat, so he sat in between us on the bench.

"What do you think?"

She laughed, eyes on the road. "What are we doing?" There was a pause. "We're way in over our heads. With all of it."

"Weren't you just telling me to 'humor them'?"

"Yeah, but, this? Kit, this is way more complicated."

"Which part?"

"All of it. If they're right, your mom was an Argent, which makes the guy you spoke to yesterday your uncle and Allison your cousin. Your dad wasn't really your dad; instead your dad is the man you thought was your uncle, who happens to have children with two other women besides your mom. Your half sister, Blair, and half brother are both dead; both due to events that took place because of a man you were once engaged to, who you lost your memory after killing.

"The two people you thought were your cousins, are not. Aaron's your half brother, the son of your adoptive aunt. And, he's a werelion, like Blair and Ben were; once again, both dead. And, Sam," she sighed. "His father is a Hale, first of all; one he helped kill, because he became a psychotic Alpha, and then came back to life with a Banshee's help; whom he bit? Who does that? Not to mention that Sam was born an Alpha and gave it up to save you?"

"You were literally just telling me that these people care about me," I said. "Why are you suddenly second guessing it all?"

"Because this is crazy, Kit."

"How?"

"Did you not just hear what I said?" She searched for words. "It's just…"

"What?" I asked. She pulled into the driveway of my house and killed the engine. "Emma? What is that look on your face?"

She sighed. "Who would make up something that complicated?"

I readjusted to see her better. "You think they're lying?"

"No," she shook her head. "You don't get it."

"Then tell me."

"I think they're telling the truth."

"Then what's the problem?" As soon as the question left my mouth, I knew the answer. "Em, I still need you."

"You haven't all this time."

"How do you know?"

She glared at me. "Because you never tried to find me."

"Did you not hear what they said? I've spent my whole life running from things. Maybe I didn't want to drag you into it, maybe I thought you were safer on your own," I said. She looked away, out the windshield. "But I need you. Even if they are telling the truth, I don't remember them. You are the only one in this town that I remember, the only one I can trust."

"And if you do remember them?" she looked at me. "What then?"

"It's not going to change that you're back in my life. Where you should be." Charlie dropped his stuffed animal on the floor and Emma reached down to grab it. She gave it back to him, looking at me. "Come on. We're together now for a reason. Let's try not to leave each other again. Agreed?"

"Agreed," she said.

 **(EMMA'S POV)**

I helped Kit get everything set up with Charlie. I told her I needed to take a walk and think. She didn't question it. It was the perfect cover. We always did that when we were young. Going off into the woods alone was what you did, even as a child. Times have changed. But she doesn't know that.

I slowed to a walk, taking a few more steps before I sat. I was deep in the woods, on the edge of town. I had shifted when I first entered the trees. I knew I could move faster on four legs than two. I shifted back and stood. The wind chilled my bare skin almost instantly.

Only a minute passed before I saw her black fur up a head. The Panther trotted up to me, promptly stopping and shifting back to human. Joy stood and instantly hugged me. She pulled back, clearly in a hurry. "Did you find her?"

She was eight years younger than me, and much more responsible for her age than I was then. My smile at seeing her faded. "Yes."

"Then why the long face?"

"Because she's not the Kirin, anymore."

Joy stepped back. "What?!" Her eyes were wide as she thought the situation over. "Then you must have the wrong girl."

I shook my head. "No. It's Kit, my childhood friend. She was turned into the Kirin when we were kids."

"Then why isn't she now?"

"It's a long story."

She huffed. "Then what are we going to do?" Her tone concerned me. So had a frantic look in her eye.

"I know you had to sneak away," I said. "But…did something happen?" Her lips sealed shut and her gaze dropped. I took a step forward. "Joy, what happened? Is my family okay?"

She quickly nodded. "But I don't know for how much longer." Her eyes met mine. "Emma," the seriousness of her voice scared me. The last time she used it, it wasn't to tell me very good news. "Koda is dead."

 **(KIT'S POV)**

I headed to the door, glancing back at Charlie in the living room. I opened the door and found the Argent guy the others took me to speak to yesterday. I think he was called…Chris? Yeah, I think that's right. I couldn't help the scowl on my face. "What do you want?"

"Scott called me," he said.

I shrugged. "So, what, do you want a medal?"

He tried to brush off my comment. "He said he was supposed to meet you after school, but something came up."

I crossed my arms. "You're lying."

"Would you believe me if I said I wasn't?"

"No." But he was right. I had no idea if he was lying. That was Emma's thing. Not mine. I crossed my arms. "So, what do you want? And, don't make me ask again." He smiled. "What?"

"You've said that to me before."

"Oh, I'm sure I have." I was starting to get tired of people bringing up who I was.

"I need you to come with me. I have something I need to show you."

I stepped back so he could see Charlie. "I'm a little house bound, right now. Not that I'd go with you."

"What's going on?" Emma walked up beside me. I looked at her, questioning her with my eyes. I didn't know she'd gotten back. She shrugged it off and looked at Chris. "Who are you?"

"Who are you?" he countered.

Emma smiled. "Cute. I'm Emma, the friend. Your turn."

"Chris," he looked at me, "the uncle."

"Go." I heard Emma's voice but didn't realize she was talking to me until I looked at her.

"What?" I asked. She rolled her eyes, pulling me back with her and then closing the door.

"I'll watch Charlie and you go with him."

"Why?"

"Maybe he's going to show you something that'll make you remember."

"And maybe he'll kill me," I countered. "And I thought you didn't care if I remembered."

"Yeah, but you do. Clearly." She opened the door and then spoke to Chris. "She'll get her coat and be right out." She closed the door and walked away. "You'll thank me later."

"Will I?" I went to the kitchen chair and grabbed my jacket. "Where were you, anyway?"

"Out." She sat on the ground with Charlie. "I told you I was going for a walk."

"I don't like secrets, Em," I warned.

"I know," she smiled. "And I don't have any." I eyed her skeptically as I walked to the door. Chris was right where we'd left him. I walked out of the house with a huff, slamming the door behind me. I headed down the drive way, to what I assumed was his car.

"We don't have to take the same car," he said, then added, "If it'd make you feel more comfortable."

I turned and looked at him. "Just drive." I climbed into the passenger seat of his car. Chris got into the driver's seat a minute later and then started driving. I didn't bother asking where we were going. I figured he wouldn't tell me. We drove for about twenty minutes, before he pulled over at a cemetery.

"What are we doing here?"

"You'll see." He got out of the car without any more explanation. I thought about not moving. But then I sighed and got out of the car. I followed him across the grass and past countless head stones. He seemed to know exactly where he was going.

I walked slower than him, keeping my eye out for any kind of trap. I don't care what he says, I don't know him. Trust is built, not just given because you're supposed to know that person. And I don't remember him gaining my trust, therefore, it never happened. My mind, my rules.

He stopped about ten feet ahead. I walked up to him, trying to see what he was looking at. My feet stopped moving when I found it. I looked at him, now a foot from me, then back. My pulse was rising and I wasn't sure why. I looked at Chris again, this time he was looking at me.

"What is this?"

"This is your sister's grave," he replied. I hesitantly stepped forward, like something was going to jump out at me. I stared at the grey stone with her name etched into it. It simply read Blair Nolan. "No one knew anything about her. According to public records, she doesn't exist."

I felt out of breath, not taking my eyes off of it. "Why'd you bring me here?"

"The night you came to me and asked for Kirin's bane, you told me what had happened. To both Blair and Ben. But Blair's the one you couldn't let go of. You were in tears just at the thought of her," he said. I could hear the remembrance of it in his voice. It saddened him. Why?

"I never thought you'd stop crying," he continued. "You told me that she saved your life. She shielded you, so Tobias killed her instead. You knew there was nothing you could do. But her death rattled you more than you thought. I've thought a lot about that night. And, why you'd care so much for her.

"You knew her when she was a girl and thought that she had died with the rest of your pack. When she came back, and was at odds with you, all you wanted was for that girl to come back, the one you knew. But you didn't know what Tobias had done to her; you didn't know they had a son and that he was holding it over her. But she came back for you, she died for you, and then she entrusted her son with you for the rest of his life.

"When I laid everything out, the facts and what you and Aaron have told me…I realized why you cared about her so much."

I turned and looked at him. "Why?"

"You told me once that the Kirin didn't have an anchor," he said. "But she wasn't the Kirin's anchor, she was Kit's." I looked back at the head stone. "That's why you felt the way you did when you lost her. I think the moment she came back to town she became your anchor. She was something familiar to you, something from your past."

"I don't remember any of it." I looked at him.

"That's okay."

"Then why are you telling me this?" I looked back at the grave. I knelt down in front of it. "And why do I feel the way I feel?"

"Because, maybe, you haven't forgotten. Maybe your memories are just suppressed."

I reached out to touch the stone. My finger tips shivered at the touch as I ran them across her name. I reached the end of her name and then came back to the start. I stopped, staring at her name. I didn't realize I had tears rolling down my cheeks until a gust of wind blew past, alerting me to the wetness.

"What is happening to me?" the words came out a whisper. I was so confused. My heart was yearning for something, someone, I don't remember knowing. I looked back at Chris, expecting the answer to my question. I didn't even want to come here; I didn't want to come with him. And, now, here I am, asking him to solve this. Wanting his advice. What am I doing?

"A part of you is remembering her." His answer was so simple, but it seemed like the right one. I turned back to the grave, my hand still on it. The wind blew past me again, my hair dancing in it. But, this time, a voice came in the wind: _"Because…maybe I know what it's like to lose someone. Someone you care a lot about."_

I startled, pulling my hand back. The voice wasn't mine. It was unfamiliar, yet I knew it. But I don't know it. How could I? I don't remember anything. Right? The wind blew again, leaves tumbled past me. Nothing. I shook my head. Maybe I just imagined it.

" _Those are the minutes people don't come back from."_ The words were a whisper that tickled my ears. _"It's those moments when you're alone, thinking it's over, that decide who you are after this."_

"Do you hear that?" I asked.

"Hear what?"

I looked around. "There's someone here, someone's talking."

"Where?" he asked.

" _This isn't a funeral, Kit-"_

"I don't know." I looked around, frantically. There has to be a person here, there has to be a logical explanation to all of this!

" _-it's a revolution-"_ The voice kept talking and I couldn't take it. I put my hands over my ears, trying to block it out. _"-after all your tears have turned to rage."_ I dropped to my knees. The whisper had turned into a full blown voice, drowning out whatever Chris was saying to me.

I just wanted it to stop; I needed it to go away. My breathing increased so I was taking deep, ragged breaths. _"It's a defining moment."_ I felt myself wanting to shift. My claws came out and my eyes glowed green. I felt like she was shouting in my ears. I squeezed my eyes shut. _"I just came to tell you that."_ And then the voice dropped, turning into a whisper. _"Don't let it turn you into me."_

As soon as her voice stopped I opened my eyes. I instantly felt relief. But there wasn't grass beneath me. I looked up, seeing white walls with a white floor. The lights flickered, and the smell of chemicals assaulted my nose. I removed my hands from my ears and stood.

"Blair!"

I knew the voice was mine. But I didn't say it. I turned around and I saw myself. I was wearing different clothes and sitting on the ground. I looked at what the other me was looking at: a girl a little younger than me with blonde hair. The girl slid down the wall, blood smearing it.

I scrambled across the floor to her, putting my hands on her wounds. "Why? Why'd you do that?" I asked her.

She blinked hard and swallowed. "They need you more than me."

Tears brimmed the other me's eyes. "No," I shook my head. "That's not true. I need you, your son-" I paused. "Charlie needs you, Blair. Just hold on."

"Take care of him," her voice was fading.

"No, Blair-"

"Promise me. Promise me…"

"I'll take care of him, you have my word."

"Promise me… Don't let him become me."

What am I seeing? Wha – what is this? This can't be real.

"I promise, Blair," the other me said. Blair's head rolled to the side. "Blair? No, Blair."

Then I hissed. Something hurt in my chest. A sharp pain erupted in the middle of my heart. No one was standing near me, but it felt like I had been stabbed. I put my hand over my heart and stumbled back, looking at it. Another sharp wave hit me.

The other me tipped her head back and let out an immense roar of pain and anguish. A ray of yellow light came out of her in a wave. It spread quickly across the room. It slammed into me with all the force of a semi truck. I was lifted off my feet and flung back into the wall.

When my head hit the wall, I closed my eyes at the pain. Not the pain of my head getting hit. It was the pain that came out of the other me. The pain she had emitted in her roar. I slid to the ground, my heart getting hit with another sharp pain.

I put my hand on it, feeling a dampness. I pulled it back and found my hand covered in blood. What is this? What just happened? My hand dropped and I slid to the side. My head landed on grass. The white place I was at was gone and the head stones had returned. My eyes were staring directly at Blair's grave.

"Beckett!" Chris' hands were on me, shaking me. I heard the concern in his voice and understood his words. But moving felt impossible, let alone something I wanted. His voice faded into the background. The wind blew past me, my hair dancing across my shoulders.

The voice returned with the wind. This time it was a hushed, drawn out whisper. _"Promise me…"_

I sucked in a breath like my life depended on it, springing back to life. I pushed off the grass and quickly stood. I was wide eyed, trying to catch my breath.

"Beckett?" Chris' voice was audible again. I looked at him. "Are you okay? What just happened?"

I backed away from him, holding up a finger as if that would keep him away. "Don't…" I stopped and caught my breath, my thoughts. "I don't know what just happened." I glanced around. My eyes landed on the stone and I quickly pulled them away. "Don't tell anyone what happened here. Okay?"

"Kit-"

"Okay?!" I said it more forcefully. He shut his mouth and nodded. "Okay," I sighed. I then turned and walked away.

 **(AUTHOR'S NOTE: the flashback scene is from Chapter 18: Blair; of Guardian: This Might Hurt (Bk 3a). The words spoken by the voice in the wind are from Chapter 10: Frayed; of Guardian: This Might Hurt (Bk 3a)**


	5. Chapter 5: Werecoyote

**(EMMA'S POV)**

" _You need to make her remember," Joy pressed._

" _How am I supposed to do that?!" I asked, done with this whole thing._

" _I don't know."_

" _And how is making her remember going to make her the Kirin again?"_

" _I don't know." She crossed her arms. "Maybe she'll know something that can help."_

" _Joy-"_

" _Koda is dead," she looked at me sternly. "The Pride won't last much longer."_

" _I know."_

" _Do you?"_

 _I stepped forward, speaking with a stern voice, "Remember your place."_

 _She took a step closer, challenging me. "Remember your mission." Her eyes looked right through me. She was young, physically. Emotionally, she was a warrior. "You came here for her power, not your friend. If she can't give us what we need to save the Pride, then what is the point of you being here? You need to return, until we come up with a new plan."_

" _We're running out of time. I need to see this through."_

 _She shook her head. "Emma-"_

" _She knows people that might be able to help-"_

" _Really?" she questioned. "I knew you coming here was a bad idea. This was supposed to be a quick mission. We don't have time for you to play house and walk down memory lane."_

 _I retracted. "That's not what I'm doing?"_

" _Have you even told her what's happened?" she asked, and I didn't reply. She scoffed. "Maybe I should talk to her-"_

" _No!" I snapped. "Let me handle this."_

" _Then handle it!" She sighed, putting her hands on her hips. "You have a week; and that's being generous, because we might not have that much time. Get what you came for. Bring me the Kirin."_

I sat up, rubbing my eyes. I've replayed that conversation in my head all night long. I don't think I got any sleep, which isn't good. Between what Joy said and coming up with ideas, sleep is the last thing on my mind. I pushed the covers off of me and stood. I wasn't sure what time it was, but I could hear that Kit was awake.

I walked out of the guest room and down the hall to the living room. Charlie was on the floor in the middle of about a hundred blocks, building a tower. Kit was in the kitchen. It looked like she was cleaning up after a meal. I walked over to the island and sat. She looked at me with a weak smile.

"What's that for?" I asked.

She sighed. "Nothing."

"What about the no secrets rule?"

She sat a plate in the sink and then fully faced me. She looked tired and worn. Maybe she didn't sleep, either. "I'm starting to rethink it." She went back to scrubbing dishes.

"Okay…?" I wasn't sure if I should press that more. "How'd it go with Chris, yesterday?" The plate she was scrubbing snapped in half, making quite the ruckus as the halves banged against the metal sink. "Hey." I promptly stood and walked over to her. She just froze, the water still running. "Kit?"

She seemed to snap out of her trance, picking up the broken pieces and throwing them in the trash. "I'm fine," she mumbled, as the cupboard door to the trash slammed shut. I eyed her, skeptically. She was not 'fine.' Everything was screaming the exact opposite.

"Uh, 'fine' is what you say after falling off your bike and skinning your knee," I said. "You are not fine." She didn't respond. "Hey," I spoke softly, putting my hand on her arm and turning her to face me. "Talk to me."

"That's the thing, Em," she said. "I'm done talking."

"Okay. That's fine, too. Why don't you just take the day? You know, do something?"

"Like what?"

The door bell rang a split second later. "Like…answer the door. Start there," I said. She groaned at the idea, but did it anyway. Charlie beat her to the door, trying to reach up and grab the handle. Even though she was clearly not having a good day, she was still nice to him as she asked him to move.

She held his hand to keep him back and then opened the door. I walked over to join her, hearing Scott's and Stiles' voices. Charlie walked up to Stiles and reached up, his sign that he wanted held. The boy barely makes any sounds and doesn't even try to form words.

"Hey, big guy," Stiles said, picking up the boy. "Wow! You've gotten bigger since yesterday, when I saw you last." I rolled my eyes.

"What do you guys want?" Kit asked them. Both of their demeanors changed. They knew she was off, too.

"Uh," Scott seemed to be second guessing his words. "Well, Stiles and I were going to help the sheriff and we wanted to know if you'd like to come along."

"Why would I want to?"

"Well…it's just what we did." He seemed to be making it up as he went along. "You know…before." I slightly cringed at that. Kit wasn't in the mood for talking about her past life.

Kit was quiet a minute. "What are you helping him with?"

"My dad was going over some old cases," Stiles said. "One in particular caught his eye. About eight years ago there was a car crash that killed almost an entire family."

"So?"

"So, he thinks a werewolf might have caused it. One of the bodies was never found."

Scott nodded. "He wants me to see if I can get a scent from the house and maybe find the girl."

I stepped forward. "Why would a werewolf kill a family and then take one of the bodies?"

"That's what we're hoping to find out," Stiles said. "The body was a young girl, named Malia."

I looked at Kit. She was quiet. I nudged her, and she looked at me. "I'll watch Charlie."

She cocked her head to the side, like I was crazy. "Tigers aren't really known for their sense of smell." A poor excuse, but I knew she was grasping.

"And snow leopards can't roar," I countered, "but that doesn't stop me from trying." She was quiet again.

"You don't even have to help," Scott told her. "You could just come 'cause you can."

"Yeah," Stiles agreed. "Why do you think I'm going?" Kit glared at me, giving me a look like 'I'm going to regret this, aren't I?'

 **(KIT'S POV)**

Scott, Stiles, and I approached the porch of some guy. He's the husband/father of the family that was killed. They boys gave me more details on the way over, but I'm still not sure what help I'm going to be. We crept across the porch and to a door on the back side of the house.

The sheriff was supposed to be distracting the man while we search the girl's room. Stiles put his hand on the door knob, turning it. It was unlocked. He pushed the door open, stopping when the hinges screamed against it. He froze, then tried again. It squeaked and he stopped.

I sighed and pushed past him, shoving the door open and stepping into the room. The boys quickly followed, closing the door behind us. I looked around the room, taking in the scene. Stiles shoved a stuffed animal into me as he tossed one to Scott. Scott caught it and smelled it.

I took the animal from Stiles, fingering it numbly. My adrenaline was starting to rise at the realization of what we were doing. We just broke into a house and are now (literally) sniffing around the room of the owner's dead daughter, in hopes it will lead us to her body. How messed up does that sound?

But we were here, so I might as well try. I brought the toy up to my nose and inhaled deeply. Besides the stuffing and fabric, there was a scent I couldn't place. But it wasn't human. I handed it back to Stiles. "Anything?" he asked, returning the toy. I shook my head. He ran around me to the dresser.

"All I'm getting is some animal smell," Scott said.

"What kind of animal?" Stiles asked, picking up a plastic horse and holding it out to Scott. But Scott wasn't paying attention. I followed his gaze as a low growl filled my ears.

"Dog," Scott replied. And it was definitely a dog. A big Rottweiler, to be exact. And he was standing in the doorway staring at us with a look that said that he couldn't decide if we were lunch or dinner.

"Hi, puppy," Stiles hid the toy horse in his jacket. "Get rid of it."

"Me?"

"Yes, you. Glow your eyes at it, something. Be the Alpha."

"I can't," Scott said. "I don't have control." Uh, well that was news to me. What was he talking about? I wanted to lay into him right then, but Stiles looked at me. He gave me a look like I was supposed to do something. I shrugged, giving him the 'what am I supposed to do' gesture. He sighed, turning back to Scott.

"Okay, buddy, you're gonna have to do something."

Scott stretched his hand out toward the dog, slowly stepping toward it. "Nice doggie…" The dog started barking, very loudly. I sighed. Well, that went according to plan. And the dog wouldn't stop barking. The man who lives here started yelling at it. It took a few tries, but the dog stopped barking.

The dog turned and trotted down the hall. I sighed with relief when no one came to investigate. Stiles jumped straight back into looking for things that Scott could smell. This time he handed him a book. "Anything?"

Scott sighed. "All I'm getting is that dog."

"Me, too," I said. "We need to leave. There's nothing here for us." It seemed they agreed. But before we left, Stiles took a picture with his phone of a framed photo on the desk. It was a picture of the two girls who died in the car crash. I'm not sure why that's relevant, but Stiles' ways are his own.

We made our escape from the house and walked back through the woods, the way we came, to Stiles Jeep. I walked up next to Scott. "What do you mean you can't control it?" I asked. "You're an Alpha, aren't you?"

"Yes," he said. "But, we've been having side effects from ritually dying to find our parents."

"And, that means you can no longer control your powers?"

"I don't know…I guess. It's different for all of us."

"'Us'?"

"Allison and Stiles were a part of it, too."

"They're human. What's their problem?"

Stiles whipped around, as if offended by something. Which isn't really hard to do. "Not sleeping, night terrors, hallucinations."

"And Allison?"

"She's been seeing her dead aunt. I believe that falls under hallucinations."

Both boys stopped walking and looked at me. I stared at the two of them. "What?"

They shared a look and then Stiles spoke. "Usually, we tell you stuff like this and you come up with a way to fix it." His voice was resolved. He wasn't asking for help or expecting anything from me. He was just simply stating a fact.

I eyed them, skeptically. "Why did you really bring me out here?"

"Chris called us," Scott said. "He didn't go into detail, but he said you were pretty upset when you left the cemetery."

I crossed my arms. "Yeah, thanks for that, by the way."

"The last time you were really upset," Stiles said, "we dragged you out to the Lacrosse field and you got to watch as I pelted Scott with balls."

"What?"

Scott rolled his eyes at Stiles' explanation. "He was trying to help me control my anger and shifting, not long after I was bitten."

Now I was really confused. "If that was my job, why wasn't I doing it?"

He shrugged. "You and Derek had had a fight about something. You were really depressed afterwards, so we tried to cheer you up."

"Did we break up?"

Stiles shook his head. "No, this was before you were even together." They both turned and started walking. I thought hard. That didn't make sense. They brought me out here to cheer me up, okay. But it was what they said about what had happened last time, with me and Derek.

Leaves tumbled past me as the wind blew, blowing with it the faintest of words, _"Promise me…"_

I opened my eyes, waking myself from the only real sleep I've gotten in the last twenty four hours. I glanced around the dark room, momentarily forgetting where I was when I dozed off. The only light that lit the room was coming from the TV across the room. It was playing reruns of Sesame Street.

I realized my breaths were labored and that my chest felt heavy. I looked down and found Charlie. He was lying on top of me, his stomach against mine, his head on my chest/collar bone area. I laid my head back and sighed. The kid was sound asleep. I don't remember if he was on me when I dozed off here on the couch.

I reached for the remote on the coffee table and muted the TV. Then was the daunting task of trying to get up. I thought about waking him up, but I knew it'd be harder to try and get him to go back to bed. I slowly sat up, sliding his body across mine to the left.

By the time I was fully sitting up, Charlie was completely horizontal across me. The side of his face was plastered on the bend of my left elbow, as the rest of my left arm went down his back. I rotated my body so my legs were now on the ground. Then I carefully got a firm grip on him and stood.

I held my breath, not wanting to wake him. But he didn't move. I sighed at a mission well done. I am successfully off the couch. And then someone knocked on the door. I jumped and nearly dropped him, my heart going into my throat. I steadied Charlie in my arms and then tiptoed to the door.

I balanced him in my left arm as I reached out with my right to unlock and open the front door. I swung it open and found Scott and Stiles. Stiles' face screwed up like he had just broken something expensive, and Scott looked at me apologetically.

I motioned then in and then walked down the hall to my room. Scott and Stiles waited out in the front room as I got Charlie situated in the bed. I backed out of the room, closing the door behind me. I sighed and then went to join the others. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Sorry, it's late," Scott said.

"Did something happen?"

"No. We were gonna go look for a body. In the woods."

I raised an eyebrow. "Um…"

"And we wanted to know if you'd like to come with," Stiles added.

"Me?"

"Yes, you."

"Does this have to do with what happened earlier, at that house?" I asked.

"We wanted to take a look at the crash," Scott said. "Maybe we can find something they didn't." And before I knew it, guess what I was doing. If you said 'traipsing through the woods at an unholy hour looking for a body that's probably long gone', then you'd be right.

I had left a note for Emma when she woke up, but still, this was crazy. All of this. We were following the GPS on Scott's phone to the crash site. Only one of these turds brought a flash light. But, apparently, I had one at my house. That still feels weird. 'My house'. Like, how do I have a house?

"So," I said to break the silence. "Is this something else we did? Hiking through the woods to find a dead person, in the middle of the night?"

"Well," Stiles paused in thought. "This does seem to be a reoccurring thing. But, no, we've never included you on one of these trips."

"So you have done this before?"

"Yeah, when we were looking for Derek's sister, who we didn't know was his sister, at the time."

I tried to think. "The one who was killed by the Alpha who bit Scott…?"

"Hey, you're getting it!" he beamed. "Yeah, Peter."

"And where is he?"

"Hopefully, Hell."

A coyote howled in the distance and Stiles jumped, grabbing Scott just ahead of him. The action caused Scott to drop his phone, which tumbled down the rocks and into a puddle. The two then shared a glance. "Sorry, buddy," Stiles said. "I hate coyotes so much. They always sound like they're mauling some tiny, helpless, little animal."

Scott jumped down the rocks with ease. Stiles stumbled/slid his way down, trying to brush it off like that didn't just happen. I rolled my eyes at him before jumping down. I wasn't sure where we were, but I knew I could find my way back, if need be.

"It still works," Scott said, holding his wet phone. Stiles shone his light up ahead, walking that way. The boy peaked my curiosity way too much.

"I think we found it," he said. Scott and I followed him. Just around the bend, about forty feet away, was an upside down car. It's tires were missing and it was over grown, showing clear signs of being here for years.

"Why wouldn't they move it? Isn't it evidence?"

"Probably too much of a pain to tow out."

I hung back, watching as they moved in closer. They were obsessing over the large claw marks that slashed along the side of the car. They weren't from a normal animal, it had to be supernatural. But I fixed my eyes on the car and just stared at it.

"Hey." Scott's voice caused me to look at him. "Are you okay?" I didn't say anything.

"Oh, man," Stiles said. "I'm such an idiot. Your parents-"

"I'm fine," I told them. I walked around the front of the car, pretending like I wasn't reliving the night my parents died. I don't blame them. I didn't think this through, either. But, if I can help, I will. Scott and Stiles went back to looking at the car, ducking down to look on the inside of it.

"Hey, what is that?" I heard Scott ask. A minute later they both stood, Stiles holding a baby doll. It was old and decrepit, like the car. They both looked at it like it could solve world hunger, or something. It was a doll! What is the matter with these kids? But it got better when the doll spoke. Stiles screamed and the doll flew out of his hands, him and Scott jumping back.

"I think I just had a minor heart attack," Stiles said, seriously. I laughed. He glared at me. "Oh, you think that's funny?" But Scott hushed him. He was staring past me. I was confused by his sudden serious tone, and then I heard a growl. I turned around. Staring at us from the dark of the trees was a pair of blue glowing eyes.

"Someone please tell me they see that," Scott said.

"I see it," Stiles said. "Kit, how 'bout you? Are we both crazy?"

"Yep." I stared into the creatures eyes as mine glowed green. "But, not right now." Then it turned and ran. Scott ran past me a second later. I didn't hesitate to follow. We both Ignored Stiles telling us to stay. We tore off into the night, chasing it for what felt like forever.

Scott started to slow down. I glanced at him just as his eyes glowed red, and he got an extra boost. Which was a good thing, because two minutes later we had to jump this large canyon. Cats are good at long distance jumping, but I wasn't sure about wolves. But Scott cleared it with no problem.

We landed on the other side to find that the Coyote had stopped. It growled at us, challenging us. No one ever said what happened when we caught it. But if it attacked, I was ready to defend myself. It's eyes glowed blue. "Malia?" Scott asked. The Coyote turned and ran.

But we didn't follow this time. We turned back and went to find Stiles. We were running, again. But this time not as hard, more like a fast jog. We found Stiles and then he led us somewhere he said he found while we were chasing the Coyote, or Malia, or whatever. He took us to some large boulders, to a space between them. He and Scott crawled in first and I followed. I didn't really feel like being the leader.

"It's a coyote den," Stiles said.

"Werecoyote," Scott corrected.

Stiles moved forward. "You see this-" he grabbed a crumpled up jacket. "This is Malia's, it's the same one she was wearing in the photo."

"Well, this was a stupid idea," I said. They jumped like they forgot I was here. "She won't come back now. I sure wouldn't."

"Well, if she's not going to come back here, where's she going to go?"

Scott sighed. "I don't know."

"Can either of you track her now? Do you think you have her scent?" Stiles looked at me, first.

"I don't know," I shrugged. He looked to Scott.

"Maybe," he said. "But, I'm better at this when I'm a full wolf. And I'm still worried that if I do it, I won't be able to turn back." Stiles twisted back and looked at me.

"What?" I asked. I was really starting to get tired of his face in general.

"You were usually the one we'd go to when stuff like this happened," he explained. Again with that. I huffed.

"Not anymore. I don't know anything about werewolves. I even have trouble sometimes with my own shift, let alone others'."

"If I can't get to Derek," Scott sighed, "we're gonna have to find someone else to help." He looked at Stiles. "Hey, this is a crime scene, right? I think it may be a little out of my boss' league."

"And more in my dad's," Stiles agreed.

I sighed and backed out of the den. I stood, straightening my back. The other's came out a minute later. "Okay," I said. "It'll be hard to explain why I'm here to the cops, so I'm gonna head home." I looked at Scott. "I'll ask Emma if she has any tricks up her sleeve about the shifting thing. There's a chance she might know something." I glanced between them. "What?"

Stiles had a knowing smile. "It just felt like old times there for a second," he said. "With you taking charge and handing out orders."

I nodded, not sure how to respond to that. What do you say when someone compares you to the person you don't remember being?


	6. Chapter 6: An Alpha's Roar

**(EMMA'S POV)**

"Kit?" She sat on the couch across the room from me. I had been working up the nerve to finally tell her about what's happened to the Pride, and all she can do is stare at her phone. She glanced up at me, setting the phone down.

"Sorry." But even though the phone had left her hands, her eyes were still on it. I should never have reminded her how to text. "Uh, what were you saying?" Her phone vibrated and she picked it up.

I crossed my arms. "What is it?"

"What?"

"Who are you talking to?"

"Um…" her fingers moved across the keys. "Scott."

"Oh, really?" I sat in the chair across from her. "And what does Scott have to say, today?"

She put the phone in her lap. "The coyote we chased last night showed up at the school."

"What was it doing there?"

"They think it wanted the doll. Stiles took it from the crash. But there's a man hunt for it. Scott wants to try and find it before they do."

"Why?" I scoffed. "It's a dog."

She glared at me. "He thinks it's a girl."

"Oh, yeah," I sighed. "The 'werecoyote'." She told me all about it this morning. I was alarmed to hear that she even did that. I thought she didn't trust them, and now it seems she'd defend them to the death. I uncrossed my arms. "I assume he has a plan…?"

"They're working on it. But Scott doesn't know how to turn her back."

"He's an Alpha," it was a duh statement.

"Yeah, but he can't control it."

"Why not?"

"It's a long story. I was hoping you knew how."

"How to turn a coyote back into a girl? What do I look like, a fairy godmother?" I stood. That was ridiculous. She sighed, looking back at her phone.

"I guess I used to have something called a…bestiary…?" she said. I stopped and looked at her. Now I was listening. "They say it was because I was the Kirin."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"They were thinking it might have something about this in it."

"Well, where is it?"

"They don't know," she looked at me. "They couldn't find it, after I vanished." Of course. It might also have something in it that could help save the Pride. Here I thought I might have a chance of saving everyone. Okay, now what?

"What can I do?" I asked. I was just as surprised by my words as she was.

She stood. "Scott said he's meeting with Ethan and Aiden…? They used to be Alphas. But I guess they were bad guys in the whole thing."

"Great. And what does Scott want with them?"

"He's wants them to help him…learn to be an Alpha, basically. He said Derek's the one he wants to help him, but he won't reply to any of his messages. Still."

"Have you tried?" I asked. "To contact him?"

She shook her head and looked at her phone. "I don't remember him." She looked back at me. "I wouldn't even know what to say."

"He was your boyfriend, right?"

"According to everyone," she nodded.

"What does that mean?"

"If he really cared about me, like they say," she paused. "Wouldn't he have stayed? Or picked up the phone, or come back, or…something?" She has a point. Why did he leave right when she needed him? Maybe he didn't care for her like everyone thought. And, maybe, she's thinking the same thing.

"Well," I sighed. "Tell me where they're meeting and I'll be there."

"You will?"

"Koda taught me a thing or two," I sighed. I can't believe I'm saying this. "I might be able to help."

I followed Scott's directions. They led me to a large building that's supposedly where Derek lives. Why they're meeting here while he's gone, I have no idea. But, the idiot lives on the top floor. I got up there and walked to the loft's door. I slid the door open and walked in.

I stopped at the top of a couple steps, taking in the scene. There were two identical teenage boys standing next to a table with Scott lying on it. He'd clearly had the snout beat out of him, as blood covered his face and he looked on the verge of passing out. Stiles and a girl about his age stood a few feet away from them.

"What…" my voice echoed, getting everyone's attention, "is going on?" The twins looked at me, one of them growling with his eyes glowing blue. "Oh. Really?" I let my eyes glow purple, my claws coming out.

"No!" Stiles ran out in between us, arms flapping like a dying pelican. "No, okay? Just, no." He turned to the boys. "She's with us! So just calm down, okay?" He turned around and looked at me. "And put the claws away." I walked down the steps, eyes still glowing and claws still out. "Emma…?"

I sensed Stiles apprehension about what might happen next. I was half way to him when I retracted my claws, my eyes returning to normal. Stiles sighed with relief. So did the girl. I stopped and looked around. My eyes landed on the twins. "I'm assuming you're Ethan and Aiden."

"And who are you?" the one who growled at me asked.

"What are you?" the other twin added.

"I'm Emma," I said. That was all I wanted to tell them. I don't know these people. "I thought you were supposed to help him."

"We were."

"By beating him half to death?" I asked skeptically. I looked around them at Scott and then back at the boys. "Bravo."

"Emma," Stiles stepped in front of me. "Why are you here?"

"Kit asked me to help Scott with his Alpha performance issues."

"Kit?" one of the twins questioned. They both looked at Stiles.

"She's alive?"

"Wow," I said. "Someone's out of the loop." I looked at them. "Oh, yeah." I walked around Stiles and closer to the boys. "Kit described you two as the bad guys." The boy, who growled at me before, did it again.

"Aiden," the girl spoke with a warning tone. He pulled back. Well, at least now I know who's who. I forgot the girl was even here.

"We're not the bad guys," Ethan said.

"Right," I scoffed.

"Enough," Scott said. Everyone looked at him. He had gotten off the table, but was still leaning on it. He looked at me. "Can you help me or not?"

"To be honest," I said. "I don't know. Wolves were never my thing. We always kept to ourselves." I glanced around as I spoke. "But…I did pick up a few things from Koda. I don't know if it'll work, but it's better than this."

"Who's Koda?" Stiles asked.

"My Pride's leader."

"You're 'Pride'?" Aiden questioned, clearly suffering from a head that's way too far up his butt. I'm no doctor, but his case seems terminal. I looked at him with contempt in my eyes. Believe it or not, both boys backed down, taking a step back.

I'm not an Alpha, but I am a strong willed woman. And, sometimes, that's more intimidating. I looked back at Scott. "Koda was like a…walking encyclopedia." I realized that I had used past tense word. I don't want Kit finding out he's dead from anyone but me. "He always knows more than he says."

"Is he an Alpha?" Scott asked.

"No one's really sure what he is. When he's not teaching or leading, he keeps to himself. He and my mother are friends, which is how I know what I know." No one looked too convinced by my words. "But, he was friends with Talia Hale, so I'm sure they shared a few things." That got their attention.

"So what do I do?"

I sighed, gathering my thoughts. I tried to recall everything Koda had told me, or that I'd overheard him saying. "One day, a werewolf, an Alpha, came to the Pride. His name was Jeff. But he was an Alpha who'd lost his pack."

"What happened to them?" Stiles asked.

"Jeff was young, not very smart. He had self-esteem issues and needed to always prove himself. Which is what led to him killing an Alpha and taking his status. The thing was, Jeff wanted the power but didn't care how he got it. The Alpha he killed had a pack forty strong."

"Then how'd he kill him?" Scott asked.

I shrugged. "Right place, right time? I never knew that part of the story. But Jeff began building his own pack, unaware of the growing danger. That other Alpha's pack was not happy. But Jeff was also a coward. And when that pack came, Jeff ran, leaving his pack and they all died. Koda asked him, 'Why should I let you in? Who's to say you won't be foolish again, or that you deserve my peace?' Jeff started crying, promising everything he could think of. But Koda let him stay. Telling Jeff to leave went against Koda's rules.

"So Jeff stayed. Two years later, that pack whose Alpha Jeff killed, came to our Pride looking for Jeff. Their new Alpha was open to making some kind of deal in exchange for Jeff's life. But when Koda went to get Jeff, he was gone. The last his new wife had seen him was the day before, when rumor spread that that pack was coming. He left behind his wife and new daughter to save his own skin and never returned."

"Okay…?" Stiles said. "But what does that have to do with Scott?"

"I asked Koda why Jeff left. He said, 'A tiger can't change it's stripes, and humans can't change their nature.'"

"Translation?"

I sighed, rolling my eyes at him. "It means, title or no title, you are still the same person. Being an Alpha doesn't change who you are, only what you are." I looked at Scott. "You're trying to change to be the Alpha, but it's the Alpha that needs to change to be you. Stop fighting it. You're not just an Alpha, Scott, you're a True Alpha. You and the title are the same, always have been. The only difference is that, now, you have the power to back the title."

 **(KIT'S POV)**

When Emma got back, we took Charlie to Scott's house, since Melissa said she'd watch him, and then we went to meet the others at the preserve. No one's too confident that what Emma told Scott will work, but the only way to know is to try. And, if anything, we can catch the coyote and then figure out how to turn her back later.

We pulled up next to Scott's bike and Allison's car. Emma and I exited the truck. From what I could tell, we were all here. There was one girl I haven't met, who I'm assuming is Lydia. She fits Stiles' description with crazy accuracy. Emma hasn't met Allison yet, but no one asked for introductions.

"Anyone else think we might be doing more harm than good?" Lydia asked.

"We're trying to keep a father from killing his own daughter," Scott answered.

Then Isaac just confused things. "Actually, we're trying to keep a guy from killing a coyote, who is actually his daughter, who we don't know how to change from a coyote back to his daughter."

Stiles sighed, "And, again, with the not helping."

Scott looked at Allison. "Did you bring it?" She went to the trunk of her car and pulled out a large tranquilizer gun. Then he looked at me. "You don't have to do this."

I glanced at Emma before replying. "I need to see this through." Gunshots rang out somewhere in the distance. Okay, here we go. Emma instantly took off her leather jacket, walking to the driver's door of the pickup. Scott ran to his bike and started it. He tore out of the parking lot and into the woods.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait!" Stiles tried to get him to stop but he wouldn't. Isaac ran after him, and Allison after him. Lydia gasped, looking at something beside me. I turned to find that Emma had transformed into the snow leopard.

I looked at her. "Follow Scott, Em." She looked at me, her eyes glowing purple, and nodded. She then took off at break neck speed. It didn't take her long to pass Isaac. I looked at the others. "Now what?"

 **(EMMA'S POV)**

I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, pushing it harder than I probably should. I caught up with Scott quickly, passing the others, and then stayed side by side with him. He was going fast. Too fast for this terrain. After a while, I found myself starting to slow down, and that he was pulling away from me.

I pushed harder, keeping even with his back tire. And then a pained cry echoed through the trees. Scott lost control of his bike, and it fell to the side as he went tumbling over it. I tried to stop, but there wasn't enough notice. I slowed the best I could and then jumped, over him and his bike.

I came down on the other side still with too much momentum. I toppled over, landing on my back and sliding. But the impact really wasn't that bad. I rolled onto my side and then stood. I walked over to Scott. He hadn't moved. He was lying on his side. I nudged his arm with my muzzle.

He pulled off his helmet, looking at me wide eyed. "I'm okay." I stepped back as he stood. And then like nothing happened, he broke into a run and I chased after him.

 **(KIT'S POV)**

"Scott, it's me, you got to call me back as soon as you can," Stiles said into his phone. He had to leave a message since, I'm assuming, Scott's too busy trying to make sure the coyote doesn't die. Lydia and I followed him through the woods. "It wasn't Malia's doll. It was her sister's. Malia left it at the car for her sister. It's like bringing flowers to a grave. Okay? And we stole the flowers."

As Stiles spoke, a sharp click pinged in my ears. I looked to my side and saw that Lydia had stopped. She was looking down at her foot. It was in the center of a metal animal trap. One of those ones you almost need the jaws of life to get apart once it snaps closed. The same kind that can snap an ankle with ease.

"That's where she's headed. The car wreck," Stiles continued, oblivious to the sudden danger Lydia was in.

"Stiles," Lydia said. I could hear the fear in her voice.

He walked closer, sliding the phone away. "Lydia, don't move." She froze, trying to remain calm. I got down on one knee, examining the trap.

"What?" Stiles asked. "Do you know what to do? How to get out of it?"

"No." My eyes remained on the trap. "It's a bear trap. I don't know of any bears."

"What? There aren't any were…bears?"

I glared up at him, like he was stupid. "A werebear? Did you seriously just say werebear?"

"Yeah, I did."

"Okay!" Lydia said. "Will someone please just figure a way out of this?"

I looked back at the trap. "I have an idea." I looked at Lydia. "But you're not going to like it."

"What is it?" she asked.

I inched closer, until I was nearly on top of it. I put my hands on either side of the trap, spreading my fingers to equal the gap in the metal teeth. "When I say…step off of it."

"What are you going to do?" Stiles asked.

"I'm going to catch the jaws before they reach her leg."

"What?!" Lydia shrieked.

"Have you ever done this before?"

"No," I sighed. I then looked at Lydia. She was looking down at me. "This is where you trust me. Okay? I wouldn't bring it up if I didn't think I could do it." She closed her eyes and nodded. She was scared out of her mind. Her fear was all I smelled. "Ready?" I made sure my hands were in position, lowering them closer to the trap.

My eyes glowed green. "Go!" She moved her foot off the plate, and the jaws instantly came to life. I caught them, pulling them apart with all the strength I had. Once her leg was out of the way, I let my fingers slide off the metal and the jaws snapped shut.

I fell back with a huff. That was harder than I thought. I looked up at the others. Lydia was holding onto Stiles, who was more than welcoming it. I chuckled. I honestly didn't expect that to work.

 **(EMMA'S POV)**

The Coyote was just up ahead, she was in my sights. Scott ran beside me, but I pulled ahead. We came to a grouping of rocks; I saw the upside down car. I veered right, dipping down and going around the pile of rocks and the car. Scott had to show off and jump over them.

But he was fully charged and ready. I sensed it when he shifted about half a mile ago. I can't talk to him, but I was hoping he would be able to keep it in control. And that Koda's advice was at least a little helpful. The Coyote abruptly stopped and turned around, snarling at me.

I came to a halt, leaves flying out from under me. But I never lost my grip on the ground. I rode the slide and came to a rest. I growled at her as Scott landed a few feet away. But the Coyote wasn't backing down. She was mad. I took a step back, debating if this was a fight I wanted to fight.

I glanced at Scott. He looked at her through red eyes. And then he roared. It was an Alpha's roar. I felt it in my bones, though, it was more than that. He was a true Alpha. He didn't steal his power and he wasn't born with it. I looked back at the Coyote, and instead I found a girl. She was a crumpled, naked, mess on the ground. But she was a girl. It was Malia; the girl they swore was alive. And they were right.

I looked at Scott just as he locked eyes with me. He looked surprised that that worked. I wasn't. In fact, I was starting to see things a little more clearly. Now I knew why Kit had stayed, why she never left Beacon Hills or tried to find me and the Pride. Because this pack is special; something worth fighting for.

 **(KIT'S POV)**

We continued our search for the others, being a little more careful about where we put our feet. And then the trees erupted with a roar; an Alpha's roar.

"That's what I'm talking about," Stiles said. But it was having a different effect on me. My eyes glowed green and I became light headed. I stumbled to the side, the earth spinning around me. I heard muffled voice's, saw Stiles and Lydia approach me. I shook my head, tried to clear my vision. But it wasn't working.

I stumbled back, away from them. "Get…back." I took a few more steps and slammed into a tree. I grabbed onto it, using it to hold me up. I didn't know what was happening and I didn't want them getting hurt. My claws came out and dug into the bark.

And then that familiar pain struck my heart. My knees buckled and I slid down the tree, my claws leaving lines in the bark. Another pain in my heart. It's happening again. Just like at the cemetery. What is happening to me? I fell over, hitting the forest floor. Next thing I see, I'm standing in a parking lot.

It's night, the high school's in front of me. How did I know that was the school? Scott and Stiles stood in front of the other me. They both appeared to be younger. Just like last time, I was seeing myself. A black sports car had just pulled up to the curb. I didn't look too happy about it.

"What?" Scott asked me. "I knew you wouldn't have come." I walked closer them, trying to figure out what this was all about. Stiles scoffed when he saw a man getting out of the black car. The man closed his car door and then turned around, glaring right at the other me.

"Hey," Stiles snapped his fingers. "Eyes over here." Stiles was trying to protect me from him. Why?

"Where's my boss?" Scott asked the man.

"He's in the back," he replied. I circled him. Am I supposed to know this man? I must. But how?

Stiles looked in the car's window. "Oh, well, he looks comfortable." Stiles and Scott turned and walked in the direction of the school, bolt cutters in hand. What is happening? This doesn't make sense. My head hurts.

"Hey," the guy called after them. They were leaving me with him. "What are you doing?"

Scott looked back at me and the man. "You both have said I'm linked to the Alpha. I'm going to see if you're right." He turned around and walked up to the school with Stiles. They disappeared inside. What Alpha is he talking about?

"What'd you have to say to him?" the man asked the other me. "To get him to still trust you." My other self didn't want to listen to him. "Now you're quiet."

"What do you want me to say?" I looked at him. "You're not going to believe any of it."

"Any of what?"

"The truth. The real reason why I was there." Was where? What are they talking about?

He blew air out his nose, fists clenched at his sides as he walked around the back of his car. He walked up to the other me and stopped a foot from her. He wasn't that much taller than me. "I'm pretty sure I already have a good idea about that."

"Really?" I scoffed. "You have NO idea. Just…that's it, just no idea." He rolled his eyes and scoffed. "I'm serious, Derek." I froze. Derek? Like…the Derek? Like, my Derek? The other me had practically spit out his name. He looked at me with contempt in his eyes. We're not friends, right now. That's very clear.

I continued talking. "You're a werewolf, yes. Born into it, yes. But that doesn't mean you know everything. So why don't you jump off your little high horse and come back down here with the rest of us?"

His hand was on my arm in a second. I looked down at my own arm. I felt my arm being squeezed, like he was touching me. But he wasn't. "Remember how this worked for you the first time? Hmm? Try it again and I'll do more than just break your wrist."

"You think your threats will make this any better?"

"No. But following through with them might." What is going on? Why are we fighting? A terrible sound filled my ears. They heard it, too. It was the pathetic attempt at a howl. Something told me it was Scott. How do I know that's him?

Trees and dirt and sunlight came back into view. Along with Lydia and Stiles.

I gritted my teeth, my heart ached. My eyes glowed green. I put my hands on my head and dropped to my knees. I looked up to find the school and darkness and me and Derek. The other me was now lying on the pavement. Derek walked up to me, connecting his foot with my rib cage.

And I felt it. I felt the blow to my ribs. I felt the wind on my skin as I flew and then the burn as I crashed back to the ground. I felt everything that happened to the other me.

"How does it feel to be on the receiving end?" Derek asked.

The other me tried to get up. "Do you really think I wanted to do that?" I spit a wad of blood on the ground as I stood. "After everything…why would I willingly do that?!"

"You tell me." He swung as I brought my arm up, meeting his. He looked slightly shocked.

"I don't want to fight you and I didn't want to go there with Kate and do that."

I knew that name. Kate. Scott and Stiles had told me she was a very bad person. She was an Argent. She killed all of Derek's family by setting the Hale house on fire. Why was I with her? Wait. That meant she was still alive. Oh, my goodness, this was before Kate died!

"But you did it anyway," Derek said.

"I have no choice. I can't let the Argents find out who I am or a lot of people are going to be in danger," I countered.

"Who?"

"Everyone I've ever helped. They'll all be at risk of being slaughtered if an Argent finds out what I am." He doesn't know I'm the Kirin. Why did I keep that from them?

Another sound filled my ears, but this time it was a howl; a roar. A real one. It was so loud and deep that you could feel it in your bones. Just like Scott's Alpha roar. He had the potential clear back then. A yellow shock wave emitted from the school. It came out across the front lawn and the parking lot.

It went right through the other me and Derek. But it hit me. The real me. It crashed into me, taking me back with it. But I didn't feel pain, like when the other wave hit me. I was hit with a different set of emotions. Ones I can't describe. I flew back and hit the hard pavement.

And, this time…I didn't wake up.

 **(AUTHOR'S NOTE: the flashback scene is from Chapter 11: Night School pt1; of Guardian (Teen Wolf FanFic), the first book in the series.)**


	7. Chapter 7: The Masks We Wear

I was in and out of consciousness. Voices, male and female, echoed in my head. They weren't mine. They were people saying my name, people talking. But I couldn't make any of it out. I tried to force myself awake, fearing I'd see more…things. I don't even know what to call them.

I don't remember any of the things I'm seeing. But I was there, at both of these things. A different version of me was there and she knew what she was doing. She knew who she was. But I'm not her. How am I supposed to figure anything out if I can't even trust my own mind?

I opened my eyes, blinking hard as I looked around the room. I was in my room at my house. But something was different. It felt…off. I pulled the covers off of me and swung my legs off the bed. I stood and the room changed, like I'd just stepped into a whole new scene. Oh, no. It's happening again.

I spun around the room, looking over every inch. I was in a different bedroom at a different house. I stopped when I'd fully turned around, my eyes on the bed. Different sheets covered the bed. But I was sleeping underneath them. The other me.

She woke up, lifting her face out of the pillow. I looked down at my pillow, seeing stuffing pouring out of the end. I pulled my hands out from under my pillow and held them up in front of me. My claws were out. My face screwed up in confusion as I pushed my body off my mattress and sat.

I felt my own fingers tingle and looked down at them. My claws had come out, and I couldn't make them go back in. The other me pulled the covers back and revealed a shredded sheet, with clothes looking just as bad, but they had dirt on them. That's when I noticed that the bedroom window was shattered and glass covered the floor. Trailing from the window to the bed was a large set of animal tracks. I recognized them instantly; so did the other me.

A throat cleared and I nearly jumped out of my skin. I looked in the direction of the sound, finding the boy I recognized as Aaron sitting in the corner of the room. Why is he here? Clearly, this is my room. So why is he in it? "Some party," he said.

"There wasn't a party," the other me replied.

"No duh."

And then I sighed. "Ugh. The bathroom."

"I shut the valve off." Aaron stood. "I'm afraid you'll need a pail, though."

"Thanks."

"What happened?" He pointed at the floor. "Those are not wolf tracks."

"I know. They're tiger."

"Really? I had no idea." He sighed, sounding more sympathetic. "Does Dad know?" Dad? What dad?

"This just happened. I barely know." The other me stood and walked to a dresser. "I don't know what's wrong with me. But I'm starting to think it has more to do with Peter than Kate." Peter? I quickly tried to think. He's…not a good guy. I remember that part. Um…Oh! Sam's father. That Peter.

"Why?" Aaron asked.

"Because…I think Lydia's scream caused me to shift." Uh…what, now?

"So you heard it, too. Wait. You think she caused you to shift?"

"Yes. Now, what about the scream? Who else heard it?"

"Anyone with ears," he scoffed. "Supernatural ones, especially." Wait. Lydia's the Banshee. How could a Banshee make me shift? But, I'm the Kirin right now, right?

"How do you know about it?"

He held up a cell phone. "Scott and Stiles have been trying to call you all night. And when they couldn't get you, they called me."

"That's when you found this," the other me gestured to the room.

"Yep."

"Did you tell them?"

"What? Did I say, 'My cousin can't come to the phone right now because she's a tiger running around town and I have no idea where. Can I take a message?' No. Crazy. No one knows about this."

Okay. What is going on? I thought they said Aaron was my brother? And here he just said he was my cousin. And Scott and Stiles don't know I'm a tiger? I thought hard, my brain literally hurting. Then I remembered Scott telling me how I kept it from them, that I was the Kirin.

"Good. It needs to stay that way. Ben can know because I'm done lying to him. But no one else. Got it?"

He nodded. "Of course." I tuned out the next few things they were saying. I was trying to make sense of it all, but nothing was working. "What now? Find Lydia? Lie to your friends about this?"

"I already found Lydia. And Yes, no one can know. How many times do I need to say this?" the other me asked.

"What do you mean you found her?"

"When I was the tiger, I found her. I…had to, I needed to. Another reason why I think I'm connected to her somehow. And the only thing that connects us is Peter." How does Peter connect us?

"Are you sure it's not the Nemeton trying to bring you back?" he sat on the bed.

"No, I'm not. That's where I went first. Then I had the drive to find her."

"So it told you to find her?"

"Maybe. I don't know." I looked at him. "Now, are you going to leave so I can change, or do you want to stay?"

"Kit!"

I blinked and the room was gone. Staring at me were the frantic faces of Stiles and Lydia. I looked around. I was in the woods. I felt tree bark against my back, Stiles' hand on my shoulder helping me remain in the sitting position. I was out of breath, my throat burned. I couldn't figure out which reality I was in.

"Kit," Stiles said again. I looked at him with near wild eyes. "Are you okay? What just happened?" I closed my eyes and sighed, trying to calm down. I remembered about my claws and quickly brought my hand up to check. My claws had since retracted, but blood streamed down my arms from the palms of my hands.

"You did that," Lydia said.

I stared at my hands. "I know." But I don't remember doing it.

"Scott did the same thing," Stiles said. I looked at him. "He was starting to turn at school and he couldn't control. So he made himself bleed."

"Pain makes you human," I said.

Stiles nodded grimly. "That's what he said, too." He glanced around before looking back at me. "Something tells me this wasn't the first time this' happened."

"No. I've been…seeing things."

"What kind of things?"

I shook my head, still trying to make sense of all of it. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

He shared a glance with Lydia before saying, "I highly doubt that."

 **(EMMA'S POV)**

After what happened in the woods, Kit went home. But not before she told Stiles and Lydia everything. Or at least, I hope she told them everything. Now I know why she was acting so weird after she came back from her trip with Chris, which she also told Stiles and Lydia about.

I tried to talk to her about it, but she just locked me out of the house. Scott called Allison, who then talked to Chris, and then the three of them got the story straightened out about what happened at the cemetery. When Chris didn't have a clue why this was happing to her, Scott suggested we all go talk to Deaton, his boss at the vet clinic.

I was hesitant until I was told he was Talia Hale's Emissary, back in the day. So I decided to at least hear him out. We tried to get Kit to come, but again, she wouldn't open the door. Didn't say a word. But every one of us who was supernatural could hear her heart beating on the other side of the door.

So we went to speak to Deaton without her. After introducing me, Scott and Company began over loading Deaton with everything that's happened concerning Kit. I stayed out of it. My goal was to just see how it played out and what the end result was. I know I came to this town on a mission, but Kit's my friend.

Everyone had finally said their peace on the matter, leaving Deaton to think. But he was taking too long. I sighed. "Do you know what's going on with her or not?" I asked.

"Sometimes-" he paused, thinking. "Sometimes it's not the people who change; it's the mask that falls off."

"Okay…?" Stiles said. "What does that mean?"

"It means, essentially, each one of us has many different sides; but each one makes us who we are. Some we share with others, but most of them we keep locked away and, sometimes, forget that they are even there. Each one of these sides is a mask; a personality, a memory. With every new thing that happens to us in life, we respond to it by making a new mask. This new mask will either replace or add to the ones we already are wearing."

"Okay, but, again, what does that mean?"

He smiled. "By living for 193 years, Kit collected a lot of masks, some of which, I'm sure, she forgot she had, but they all added to her, making her who she was. When the Nemeton took her powers and memories from her, it left behind those masks; but the memories that made them what they were, were gone. The Nemeton placed a new mask over those old ones, making them obsolete. What's happening to her, what you're seeing, is her rediscovering those old masks."

"So she's remembering," Scott said.

"Not quite. Without the memories to back them, all those masks she collected are just ghosts, completely foreign to her. She may have 'flashbacks' and be able to recall certain events, but the thoughts and things she felt while those events were taking place…she won't remember."

"Okay," Isaac said. "Let me get this straight…she's remembering, but she's not."

"Correct."

"That doesn't even make sense," Stiles scoffed. "How is that possible?"

"Let me explain it this way," Deaton said. "When you're watching a movie, you're able to see the actors, their expressions, hear their voices. But no matter how hard you try, you'll never actually be able to feel the characters' emotions, what the characters you see on the screen are feeling; you'll only ever be able to imagine what emotions they felt after a certain event, but you can never feel them yourself." You could almost feel the disappointment that set into the room.

He continued, "A sense of déjà vu can be common among those who have lost memories. Some can picture a scene in their mind based off of the things they've been told, the descriptions from others, but never actually be able to remember it themselves. Though, I'm not surprised that Scott's roar affected Kit the way that it did. Whether you knew it or not, the two of you shared a connection. I don't think it's a coincidence that your roar caused her to remember the night you became her Beta."

"But that's not even the part she remembered," Scott said.

"It doesn't have to be," he countered. "I think she remembers a lot more than she's saying."

"Why wouldn't she tell us when she's remembered something?" Allison asked.

"For the same reason why Stiles' father wouldn't believe in the supernatural," Deaton replied.

I sighed. "It's not the existence of something that scares us, but the fear of an existence greater than ourselves."

Deaton looked at me and nodded. "Very well put, Emma. When people have suffered such extreme memory loss, if they ever remember any of what they've lost, they're in complete denial. They don't think that would be something they'd ever do; therefore, they won't allow themselves to believe that it happened, even when there is very strong evidence that it actually did."

He glanced around at us. "Though, I would caution Derek, should he ever decide to come back."

"Why?" Scott asked.

"Because all Kit remembers of him is that one argument they had outside the school. Now, everything he says and does, she will judge based on that argument."

I walked up to Kit's house, a sky full of stars above me. I had nowhere else to go. I banged on the door. "Kit." I was tired and you could hear it in my voice. To my surprise, the door opened. She let it swing open as she walked away, not even looking at me.

I stepped in the house cautiously. I wasn't sure what to expect from her. She walked over to the kitchen island, grabbing a back pack and swinging it over her shoulder. "Where are you going?"

"I need some time," she said.

"Time? How long?"

She shrugged. "A couple days."

Days? I don't have that long. "What about Charlie?"

"I was hoping you'd look after him."

"Oh, so, that means you're coming back," I crossed my arms.

"Don't do that."

"What?"

"You know what."

"Kit, you're going through a lot, right now. And I don't think you should be alone."

"Then what would you have me do? Stay here, where I'm plagued by memories of a past life and haunted by a girl I don't remember being?" she asked. And I knew she was right. But I still haven't told her about the Pride, how they need her. But even as I thought it, I knew it was pointless to say something. The Pride needs the Kirin, not Beckett-Ann Lawson.

"Go." And that was all I had to say. She instantly turned and walked out the door. Two days went by with no word from her. The day after she left, I tried calling her. And that's when I found her phone in the trash. Later that day, Stiles and Scott had come looking for her after school.

They were trying to be nice and see if she was okay. Then I had to be the bearer of bad news. They wanted to go after her, but I convinced them not to. Kit's not physically lost, just emotionally. She needs a new anchor. On the eve of the second day, there was a knock on the front door. I got up from the couch, leaving Charlie glued to the program on TV.

I opened the front door, and thankfully it wasn't Scott and/or Stiles. Instead it was a young man about my age, tall, dark hair. "Can I help you?" I asked.

"Sorry," he said. "I was looking for a girl named Beckett Williams. I've been gone for a while and she lived here when I left."

I thought hard. Beckett Williams. That's the name Kit went by. And, he said he's been gone for a while? Tall, dark, and handsome? I knew right then who he was. I don't think so, Mister. "Sorry, no one by that name lives here," I lied, making sure to keep my heart just as steady as when I first answered the door. Charlie ran up to me, grabbing my hand and pulling me back, wanting me to go with him.

He smiled. "Thanks anyway." I watched him walk down the drive to his silver car. I shut the door, knowing I did the right thing, and went back with Charlie. Then, a couple hours later, there was another knock on the door. This time I had Charlie in bed and asleep.

I sighed when I opened the door, seeing Stiles and Lydia. "She's not back yet."

"That's okay," Stiles said. "We're here for you."

"Me?"

"We need your help," Lydia said.

"With what?" I scoffed.

Stiles explained. "There's an escaped convict running around town and he's after werewolves, specifically kids with glowing eyes. He was at the school today but no one found him. I have an idea and we need you to come with us."

"Where's Scott?"

"He's having dinner with Kira and her parents."

"Who?"

"It doesn't matter," Lydia said. "You helped us with Malia and you helped Scott with being an Alpha, will you help us with this?"

Stiles cut in again. "Especially with Kit who-knows-where, we don't want this guy running around town planning his next victim."

"Fine." I grabbed my coat and followed them out the door.

"What about Charlie?" Lydia asked.

"He's sleeping," I said, locking the door. "I have a baby monitor app on my phone. He'll be fine. Just don't tell Kit I did this." Stiles, Lydia, and I took his Jeep to the school. Stiles led us to the chemistry room. The whole way to the school, they told me about this man, Barrow, who had escaped.

I followed them, not sure what I was doing here. Once in the chemistry room, Stiles headed for the chemical storage room. "What exactly are we looking for?" Lydia asked. Stiles opened the door and walked on in. "That was supposed to be locked."

"Yeah, I know," Stiles said. "Notice anything else?"

"It smells like chemicals." She paused. "They wouldn't have been able to catch a scent."

"And blood," I said. They both looked at me. "It smells like blood in here."

"What, where?" Stiles asked.

I stepped forward in the dark room, letting my eyes glow purple. I pointed to a spot on the ground. "There."

Stiles turned around and shone the light from his phone on the spot. Blood and staples were on the ground. "He was here, performing very minor surgery on himself." He looked at Lydia. "You were right."

"Then why don't I feel good about this?" she asked.

"Probably because he was here to kill somebody."

"But who?"

"That's what we gotta figure out."

I looked at Lydia. "You're a Banshee."

She sighed. "Not a very good one."

"I thought Kit-"

"Yeah, well…she didn't get the chance." She sighed. "Kit told me that after everything was done with the Alphas, she'd teach me how to control it. And then she forgot."

"Quite literally," Stiles said as he stood. He walked past us and out into the main class room. "We could spread out, start looking for anything." Lydia and I followed him. We split up and began looking. Then I heard, "Lydia, what are those?" I looked at them. Lydia was walking to the chalk board.

"Atomic numbers," she said. I walked up behind her and Stiles. Three pairs of numbers were written on the board.

"Is it a formula?"

"Not really. 19's potassium. 53's iodine. 88's radium. The first two make potassium iodide…" she picked up a piece of chalk and wrote the scientific notation for each element.

"Potassium's K?" Stiles asked.

"From kalium, the scientific neo-Latin name," she replied. Then she put an 'I' next to 53.

"What's radium?"

"R-A."

Talk about a message in a bottle. The letters spelled out Kira. Stiles said as much. I turned to them. "Didn't you guys say something about a Kira?"

"Yeah," Stiles said. "She's with Scott."

"Then I think we need to be, too."

We quickly hurried out of the school and piled back into Stiles' Jeep. He drove like a maniac. I thought about asking to see his license at one point. But when he pulled over and got out, I assumed we had reached Kira's house. Yet another supernatural girl these guys feel the need to protect.

I got out of the Jeep, seeing Stiles and Lydia run over to Scott. He was lying on the ground next to his bike. I got over there just as Scott sat up. "Barrow took Kira!"

"We know," Stiles said. "He was after her the whole time." Stiles helped him to his feet. He looked at me. "Why are you here?"

I shrugged. "They asked me to come…?"

"We should call Allison," Lydia said. Scott called her, but he ended up talking to Isaac. Not that it changed the fact that they hadn't found anything in a bestiary they have. They never mentioned this before. Stiles said it belonged to Gerard Argent. He was the head dude of the Argents. If Kit can't help me, maybe that can.

Scott ended the call and walked back over to us. "We have to think of something. He's going to kill her."

"I knew he was there," Lydia said. "How did I know that?"

"Because you heard the flies, right?" Stiles said.

Scott looked at her. "What do you hear, now?"

"Nothing," she replied. "I feel like I can do this. But I don't know what to do-"

"Lydia," I stopped her. All eyes were on me, but I was looking at her. "You're a Banshee." She looked at me like 'yes, we've already established that.' So I said kind of forcefully, "So scream like one."

She turned so she was facing away from us (smart move), and then she screamed. And, there was no mistake that that was a Banshee's scream. After she stopped, the air fell silent. We couldn't hear anything, but she could. You could tell it had worked. After a minute, she looked up at the street light above us.

"It's not flies," she said, looking at us. Stiles and Scott jumped, like something was going to hit them. "It's electricity."

"Wait a second," Stiles said. "Barrow was an electrical engineer. He worked at a power substation."

Scott looked at him. "What substation?" And, of course, Stiles knew. He always knows. Scott hoped on his bike, we got in the Jeep and we were off, again. We both pulled up at the same time. But Stiles wouldn't move fast enough so I could get out, so Scott went in without me.

He finally climbed out, talking to Lydia. "Wait here, alright? Just wait for the cops to come."

"Me?" she asked. "Wait, why?"

"I only got one bat." He held up a silver metal bat.

I grumbled. "Stiles!" I slammed the car door shut and jogged past him. He quickly followed. We made our way into the building. I wasn't really sure where to go, so I followed Scott's scent. We walked a little ways, around a couple corners. We were almost there. But I stopped.

"What's wrong?" Stiles asked. I could hear the electricity snap and pop. There was live electricity in that room. I started backing up. I didn't think coming would mean that kind of physical chances. I can't get electrocuted. I can't risk it, not that many volts. I started backing up. "Emma?"

"I…" I wasn't sure what to say. So I turned around and left.

 **(KIT'S POV)**

I traipsed through the woods. I'm not sure where I am in relation with Beacon Hills. I lost track a while ago. I followed a bend that opened up into a wide, flat plain in between the trees. And I stopped. There it was. The thing I have been looking for for the last two days. The Nemeton.

Branches cracked and I jumped. "Whoa! It's okay!" I knew that voice. How did I know that voice? A few feet ahead of me, a boy stepped out from the trees.

I sighed. "What are you doing here, Aaron?"

 **(AUTHOR'S NOTE: the flashback scene is from Chapter 1: The Tigress and The Banshee; of Guardian: Trust The Instinct (Bk 2)**


	8. Chapter 8: Illuminated

**(EMMA'S POV)**

"So, when did you get there?"

"At the same time," Stiles replied. I leaned against the wall across the room, bobbing Charlie in my arms. Somehow Scott, Kira, and Stiles all made it out alive. I had walked outside to join Lydia just as the cops arrived. Of course, we all needed to head down to the station for statements.

I lied, though, and told the men that my boyfriend had to go to work so I needed to go home and get Charlie first. Thankfully, they agreed. The power's out to the whole town, meaning that the baby monitor stopped working. But Charlie was still asleep when I got there.

"The same time as who?" the Agent asked. As in Agent McCall with the FBI. Yeah…and he's Scott's dad. I'd think that was a conflict of interest, but that's just me.

"At the same time as me," Scott said.

"By coincidence?"

"What do you mean coincidence?" Stiles asked.

"That's what I'm asking you. The two of you arrived at the same time. Was that coincidence?"

"Are you asking me?" Scott asked him.

Stiles looked at Scott. "I think he's asking me."

The Lydia chimed in, "I think he's asking both of you."

"Okay," Agent Guy said. "Let me answer the questions." He paused, as everyone realized his flub. "Let me ask the questions," he corrected. I smiled. They were getting on his nerves. "Just so I have this absolutely clear. Barrow was hiding in the chemistry closet at the school. Someone left him a coded message on the blackboard telling him to kill Kira. Then Barrow took Kira to a power substation and tied her up with the intent of electrocuting her, which blacked out the entire town."

"Sounds about right," Stiles said.

"How'd you know he'd take her to a power station?"

"Well, 'cause he was an electrical engineer. So where else would he take her?"

"That's one hell of a deduction there, Stiles."

"Yeah, what can I say? I take after my pops. He's in law enforcement." And then he winked at his dad, who was sitting at his desk behind Agent Guy. I sighed. I might as well get a lawyer while I still can.

Agent Guy looked at me. "And what's your story? How'd you get into all of this?" All eyes in the room were instantly on me.

"I was out for a walk when I saw sparks at the station," I said.

"Do you always take walks at night, outside power stations in jeans?"

I glanced at my clothes. "Well, I'm not training for the Olympics, but yeah, sometimes."

"To which part?"

"All of it."

He sighed, twisting to look at the Sheriff. "You believe this?"

"To be honest," the Sheriff said, "I haven't believed a word Stiles has said since he learned how to speak. But I think these kids found themselves in the right place at the right time and that girl sitting there is very lucky for it."

Agent Guy looked at the others. "Kira, is that how you remember it?"

Now, all eyes were on her. She nodded. "Yes." I think everyone breathed a sigh of relief. I know I did. It meant we were able to go home, now. And I did. I tucked Charlie into bed and then climbed into mine. And by climb, I mean that I stood at the end of the bed and fell forward, doing an exhausted belly flop.

I closed my eyes as my head hit the pillow and that's how I wanted them to stay. I was thankful that no one asked me why I bailed on them at the last minute. I didn't want to have to lie to them. A floor board creaked and my eyes shot open, my pulse quickening.

I listened. There was a heart beating in the living room. Young. I slowly pushed myself off the bed, trying not to make any noise. Then I tip toed to the door. I had left it cracked so I could better hear if Charlie woke up. I slowly pulled the door open, listening. The heart remained in the same place.

I fully opened the door and peeked my head out into the hallway. I swore under my breath. I could see Joy standing in the living room. I stomped down the hall toward her. "What are you doing?" I asked, angrily. She wasn't wearing clothes, so I knew that she had to sneak away again to see me.

"My job," she replied, sternly. "How about you?"

"I still have time."

"But we don't."

"Why? What's happened?"

She sighed. "He knows you're gone. He's not stupid, Emma."

"I know, but what's he doing?"

"He took control of the town."

"What?!"

"And, he's put your mom and sister in the county jail until you return or he decides to kill them," she said. "My guess is the latter will come first."

"When did this happen?"

"Yesterday. So, if you value their lives, you'll come home."

"And be his slave?"

"He'll kill them, Emma! Someone else can find a way to stop them; it doesn't have to be you."

"You know why I can't come back."

"Really?" she scoffed. "And that's more important than your family?"

"That's not fair, Joy."

"None of this is fair. That word has no meaning. You do what they want or die like the rest of the Pride." She took a step closer. "If you stay, you're damning us all."

I closed my eyes and dropped my head. I sighed and then looked at her. She was pleading with me with her eyes. "I'm sorry, Joy," I said, as tears came to my eyes. "Before I left, my mother told me that if I couldn't find Kit, I wasn't to return." Tears were streaming down my cheeks. "I can't risk it, now, not even for my sister."

She stepped back. "You'd let them die?" I didn't look at her, wiping away the tears. "Wow. Well…" she looked around. Then her eyes met mine, and they were like daggers. "I hope you have fun playing house. And, I hope that-" she pointed at my stomach "-was worth it."

 **(KIT'S POV)**

"Were you following me?"

"No," Aaron said. "Just let me explain. After you left, Emma told Scott and Stiles who then told me that you had left."

"And this is the first place you came to?"

"No. I was just guessing when I decided to come here."

"Aaron," I sighed with frustration. "It took me days to find this place…how'd you know where it was?"

"Uh…? Lucky guess?"

I crossed my arms. "That's not good enough."

"Okay, fine. I asked Argent to help me."

"How'd he know where it was?"

"I don't know! What's with all the questions?"

"I just want to know why you're here," I said.

"Because I was concerned about you."

"And, how'd you know I'd come looking for the Nemeton?"

He sighed. "It's simple, Kit. You want your memories back."

"I don't know. Being who I am doesn't…it doesn't feel right. But being her, the girl you all say I am-"

"Is ridicules," he finished. "I know. That's part of why I came."

"I thought you went back to Oregon."

"I did. But I realized that was stupid. I realized you need me."

"To do what?"

"To help you find a happy medium," he said.

"Why? Why are you doing this?"

"You were my sister long before we knew we had the same father. Whether you remember me or not, you're stuck with me."

I looked past him and at the Nemeton. I walked up to it and held my hand out. I wanted to touch it, see what would happen. So I did. And, I'll tell you what happened…nothing. I slid down to a crouch, my hand still on it. "Why didn't it kill me?"

"It was trying to. But Sam healed you," Aaron said.

"And, where's he?"

"He's with his pack, in Oregon. Of course, his pack consists of four people, including him. But that doesn't change the fact that they don't have an Alpha anymore."

I looked at him over my shoulder. "Why'd he give it up for me?"

"I thought Scott and Stiles told you all this."

"They did." I stood and faced him. "But I want to hear it from you."

"Sam feels the same way about you that I do. You're family, you're our sister."

"But I'm not related to him."

"No, not by blood."

I looked back at the Nemeton. I'm not sure I knew what I was hoping for when I touched it. But nothing happened. I sighed and started walking. Aaron quickly followed, walking beside me. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"In one of my…vision things, I saw you. We were talking in a bedroom. I think it was mine, but not at the house I live at right now."

He thought. "Must have been the room you stayed in at Dad's place. What were we talking about?"

"We were talking about how Lydia's scream was making me shift? Does that sound familiar…?"

"Yeah. I know what you're talking about. You were the Kirin when Peter bit Lydia, therefore, you saw it. But at that time, you and Derek had been kidnapped by Kate Argent. She was drugging you with a version of Kirin's bane, the kind that'll kill you and not just take your powers away."

"How do you know all this?"

"You told me," he said. "After that, whatever Kate did to you, caused you to lose your powers for a while. Like, all of them. You were human. When they came back, Lydia's screams started forcing you to turn into the tiger against your will."

"Did we find out why?"

"Yeah. We think it was because of Peter. After Lydia brought him back to life, her screams stopped affecting you." He stopped talking and so did I. I wasn't sure what to say. "Do you want me to drive you home? Or, we could keep talking…?"

I looked at him. "Keep talking." He looked at me and smiled. And something told me, I could trust him.

Aaron and I talked for hours. He even took me to the house where Ben, our dad, used to live. He took me up to the room I stayed in while I lived with Ben. I recognized it from the vision, but nothing else. I think Aaron was expecting me to remember something by being there.

I felt bad when I didn't. But he assured me that he wasn't expecting anything, and that it didn't matter. He also had with him that photo album he had previously showed me. We flipped through it and he told me the tale behind each photo. Turns out, a picture really is worth a thousand words. We talked forever.

We spent the night there. And then he took me home, after another day of talking and showing me things. For some reason, everything is just so simple with him. And he's so easy to talk to. I feel like Scott and Stiles are always judging every word I say, trying to match it up with the version of me that they know.

Aaron and I walked into my house. Emma quickly came from down the hall, eyes wide when she saw me. But she looked different. More tired than she was when I left. "You're back," she said.

"Yeah," I nodded. "Where's Charlie?"

"In bed," she crossed her arms.

"Um…" I glanced at Aaron. "This is my half brother, Aaron." They just kind of nodded toward each other, neither said anything. I know it's late, but I don't think that's what her problem is. "Is something wrong?"

"No."

"Then why do you look like someone died?"

She didn't reply for a minute. Then she sighed. "I'm just glad you're back."

"Well, I have an idea," Aaron said. "Something that can lighten the mood and cheer everyone up."

"I don't need cheering up," Emma said.

"Clearly."

I looked at Aaron. "What's your idea?"

"Stiles told me about a black light party tonight."

I looked at Emma. "Em?"

"You want to go to a party?" she asked.

"Why not?"

"Uh, we're adults."

"It'll be fine," Aaron said. "No one's going to care."

Emma sighed. "Why would we go?"

"Because, Em," I rolled my eyes. "You might have fun."

She eyed me funny. "Did you find what you were looking for? Is that where this new found attitude is coming from?"

"Kind of. I found what I wasn't looking for, can't find what I lost, and am now trying to find something new."

"That didn't make any sense."

I turned her around and pushed her down the hall. "Let's change. You're coming." We quietly snuck into my room and tried to find some clothes. Neither of us wanted to wake Charlie. I wasn't too impressed with what the old me had to wear. Like, was I an old lady? What's with all the blouses?

But we managed to find some things that were more our age. Emma wore short shorts and a black, lace crop top. It was basically the top of a string bikini with lace that came down from it, hugging her skin, and stopped just before her belly button. I noticed that her stomach seemed slightly more extended than mine.

But I just chalked it up to us being different people who have spent the last fourteen years apart. I wore skinny jeans, and then I found a black, sheer, see through crop top. The end band that went around my waist and arms, curled. It also had a sequin pineapple over each boob, that was supposed to be the only thing making it so you couldn't see EVERYTHING.

But I found that the Pineapples weren't quite big enough, not that I wanted to wear it like that anyway, so I wore a small, black bra under it. Aaron looked about ready to tell me to go change. But he shut his mouth and nothing else was said. He knows I'm trying to find what works for me. So I guess he figures I have to find that out for myself.

We got into the pickup, with Aaron driving. I sat in the middle with Emma pouting next to me. We knew Charlie would be fine, so I knew that wasn't her problem. Maybe it was me leaving? I don't know. But something's different about her. She's…sad.

It wasn't until we arrived at the place that she spoke again. "Hang on," she said, leaning around me to look at Aaron. "This is Derek's building."

"I know," Aaron said.

"Isn't he still gone?"

"Yep." He nodded and then got out of the truck.

Emma went to leave, but I grabbed her arm to stop her. "What's wrong with you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Did something happen while I was gone?"

"I…" she sighed. "I'll tell you later." She then pushed her way out of the truck. I scoffed. She hesitated. She was going to lie to me. I got out of the truck, trying to ignore it. We are most definitely talking about this later. Aaron led us inside and up to the top, to Derek's loft. The sounds coming from the loft got louder and louder with each step we took. Aaron grabbed the door and slid it open, revealing a sea of gyrating bodies.

Emma scoffed. "No." She turned to leave, but I grabbed her forearm. She stopped, but didn't turn around to look at me.

"Can't you just forget about whatever's bothering you for like…I don't know, an hour?" I asked. She turned around and looked at me. And with a huff, she walked into the crowd of people. I sighed and looked at Aaron. He smiled and I laughed. "What?"

"Nothing." His fingers intertwined with mine. "Come on." He pulled me into the loft, down the couple steps and into the crowd. There were more colors here in this one place than I think I've ever seen before. He led me safely around the bodies and to a table with bottles of paint all over it.

The girl behind the table, seeming to be in charge of it all, looked at me and smiled. "Nice pineapples." She had to kind of shout over the music.

I looked down, seeing the pineapples on my shirt glowing. "Oh, wow." I looked up just as Aaron was looking at my chest. "I didn't know they did that." He began laughing. He then pulled off his shirt, tossing it, and told the lady to paint him. I eyed him. Based on his face, I'd never guess he had anything close to a six pack.

He caught me staring and smiled. "Sam taught me a few things while you were gone."

"Clearly." While he was getting painted, I looked over the crowd. I saw Scott and a girl disappear up a metal, spiral staircase. I saw Isaac and Allison with their hands all over each other, dancing with everyone else. Then my mind wondered. I tried to picture this place without all the people and the noise.

And then, in the blink of an eye, it was all gone. The people, the lights, the music, all of it. The room was empty, except for a few random pieces of furniture. "Okay, you see this? This is how they got in." I knew that voice. I looked to my right. Stiles was standing at a table with a few other people. Scott, Me, Aaron, Derek. And one other guy. I feel like I should know him.

Stiles was pointing at some papers on the table, where everyone was looking. "It's a rooftop air conditioning vent. Leads down inside into the wall of the vault, which is here. Okay?" he continued. "One of the robbers was lowered into this shaft. Now, that space is so small, it took him about twelve hours to drill into that wall, which is stone, by the way. Then throughout the rest of the night, they siphoned the cash up to the guys back on the roof through that one little shaft in the wall. Boom."

I walked closer, hesitant. We were all listening closely to what Stiles had to say, but I wasn't sure why. "Can we fit in there?" Scott asked.

"Yes, we can. But very, very barely. And they also patched the wall, obviously, so we're also gonna need a drill of some kind. I'm thinking maybe a diamond bit-"

"Look, forget the drill," Derek said. I walked around the table, with my back to the large glass window. I wanted to be able to see their faces. They looked older than the last time I saw Scott, Stiles, and Derek together. And I'm standing right next to Derek, completely calm.

"Sorry?" Stiles asked.

"If I go in first, how much space do I have?"

"What do you—what do you think you're gonna do, Derek? You gonna punch through the wall?"

Aaron sighed. He was standing next to the other me. "This is crazy."

"Yes, Stiles, I'm gonna punch through the wall." Now Derek and Stiles were facing each other. Derek crossed his arms. But Stiles wasn't going to let it go. Why would he?

"Okay, okay, big guy. Let's see it," Stiles said. "Let's see that fist. Big, old fist. Make it, come on. Get it out there. Don't be scared." Now, Stiles is just being ridicules. But Derek held up his fist anyway. "Big, bad wolf. Yeah, look at that. Okay. See this?" Stiles held his hand up just in front of Derek's fist. "That's maybe three inches of room to gather enough force to punch through solid co-"

Derek thrust his fist forward, hitting Stiles' hand. Aaron burst out laughing. Stiles hit the table and then grabbed his arm. "Ah." Stiles walked out into the main room. "Ah! He could do it."

The other me looked at Derek. "Was that really necessary?"

He gave me a daring look. "I could've hit him in the face."

"Oh. That was great." Aaron smiled.

Derek looked at Stiles. "I'll get through the wall." Then he leaned into the table and looked at the rest of us. "Who's following me down?"

"Don't look at me," the other guy said. I looked at him. He was sitting across the room on the spiral staircase. "I'm not up to fighting speed yet, and honestly, with Isaac out of commission, you're not looking at very good odds for yourself." What's wrong with Isaac?

"Thank you," the other me scoffed and then looked at Derek. "I'll follow you down. And I can help you break the wall." Derek nodded. So, I know this guy sitting on the steps…but I don't know his name.

But the guy spoke again. "You're going to go down there, with Tobias lurking around any random corner? Not to mention the rest of them."

"The more of us going down there the better," the other me countered.

"Why? Why risk it? For a couple of Betas no one liked anyway? One of them is already dead."

"We don't know that," Derek said. My eyes went from the guy to Derek. There was something about the way he said that.

"Do I have to remind you what we're up against here?"

"Thought you weren't helping," Aaron said under his breath.

"A pack of Alphas. All of them killers. And if that's not enough to scare your testicles back into your stomach, try to remember that two of them combine bodies to form one giant Alpha," the guy said. He must mean Ethan and Aiden. "I'm sure Erica and Boyd were sweet kids. They're gonna be missed."

"Can someone kill him again, please?" Stiles asked, looking at everyone. And then it clicked. Peter. The guy on the stairs is Peter Hale.

"We'll take a vote," Aaron said.

"No one's killing anyone," the other me said. "That's the whole point of this: to prevent death on our side." I crossed my arms. "Even if it's just me and Derek, we can't let whoever they have stay there and be killed. We know they have Erica and Boyd, but what about the other two people they have? What about the lives they'll be leaving behind, should they die?"

"And, if you run into Tobias? What then?" Aaron asked. Tobias. Charlie's father, my ex fiancé, the man I almost died trying to kill.

The other me shrugged. "I can't avoid him forever."

"I'll go," Scott said.

Aaron nodded. "Yeah, me, too."

Derek looked at him. "I don't remember anyone asking you."

"You're staying," I said. Wait. Derek was just looking for all the help he could get. Now he's telling Aaron to stay? Why?

"Oh, come on," Aaron sighed.

"Aaron," Scott said. "You're not ready yet." Scott, too? Why are they all protecting Aaron? I know Aaron told me they all babied him, but I didn't think he meant like this.

"Not to mention," Peter said, "tonight's his first full moon." The other me sighed, like she'd forgotten that. I looked at Derek to see if he had any ideas. He just shrugged and shook his head.

"I'll do it," Stiles said. "I'll watch Aaron, help him with the full moon."

"Seriously?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yeah. Why not?" He said. "I helped Scott during his first full moon."

"Yes, I was there. Remember how that turned out?" I looked at Aaron. He looked unsure. I sighed indecisively and looked at Derek. "Thoughts?"

He thought for a second and then looked at me. "Well, he's not dead, yet."

"Thanks," Stiles scoffed.

Peter stood. "Now, this is crazy."

"Hey!" Aaron's voice cut in and the party came back. I shook my head and looked at him. "You okay?"

"Fine." I looked him over. He had neon yellow lines, like lightening, going all over his face, chest, and torso. "Nice."

"Thanks. You want to get painted?"

"Uh, no." I smiled. He chuckled and then took my hand again. I'm sure he doesn't want to lose me. Which is good, since I don't want to lose him either.

Aaron and I danced with the rest of the crowd. As far as I can remember, I've never really been to a party or danced. So this was all new. But Aaron didn't look like he knew what he doing either. Actually, he looked ridicules. I think I spent most of the time laughing at him and not paying attention to dancing.

He looked as bad as Stiles, when I caught a glimpse of him earlier. I also saw Emma a couple of times. Last I saw her, she was going somewhere with two shirtless dudes who were all painted up like Aaron was. I knew she wasn't going to leave, so I tried to pretend like I wasn't concerned about where she was.

Suddenly, the music cut out and a loud crash filled the air. "Well, well," Aaron said, looking past me. "Enter the dragon." I turned around, my eyes landing on Derek. I wasn't sure what do to. I didn't even know if he knew I was here. What are you supposed to say to the guy you don't remember being in love with? I felt Aaron's hand grab mine. Derek had yelled for everyone to get out. So the crowd was quickly leaving. Very quickly.

I think Aaron grabbed onto me just so he wouldn't lose me. And then that's when Derek saw me. He looked surprised to see me, yet relieved at the same time. We both stood there, frozen. Like the rest of the world was still moving, but ours. But something didn't feel right. I broke our stare and looked around the room

The people were leaving, but dark figures remained still, like statues. Emma and the two guys I saw her with returned with Lydia slung over their shoulders. Okay, something's not right. And then Isaac and Allison walked in with a boy draped over their shoulders.

I then realized that Isaac and Allison had one of the twins and the other one was with Emma. A different boy took Lydia and led her out of the loft with the last of the crowd. That's when I noticed that Scott and the girl he was with had returned. Now all that remained in the loft was us and the dark figures. There were five of them. Men in dark clothes with silver masks of their faces. I'm not sure where they came from. But something told me that this wasn't good.

All of them then turned and faced Emma and the twin. "Guys, they're all looking at us," the boy said. All of the men took a step forward. "Why are they all looking at us?" Then they took another step. I looked around, judging faces. I was trying to see what I was supposed to be doing here.

But I felt Aaron tug me back. As soon as Scott moved so did Derek, both guys attacking the masked men. Aaron growled beside me before joining the fight, even though I tried to stop him. I watched as the three of them tried to fight the men. And I say tried because they weren't having much success.

Scott mainly deflected blows, until he was struck in the chest and flew back into the wall. Aaron didn't have the finesse that Scott did, but he was the first one on the ground. One of the men picked him up and tossed him into the stand the DJ was standing on. It cracked under his weight and he hit the ground.

Derek had a little better luck. He had the upper hand for a minute, snapping one of their necks. But the masked guy snapped it right back into place. He didn't die! It then flung Derek into one of the building's support columns, and he hit the floor. All three of them appeared to be on the ground in pain.

Then the masked men all looked at the twin and Emma again. The twin looked nervous. But Emma looked afraid of them. Isaac passed the other twin off to Allison and then stepped forward, claws out and ready to fight them. One of the masked men reached into his chest and pulled out a sword, swinging it around before going back to being motionless.

Isaac stepped back, clearly not even wanting to try that. I don't blame him, but this is stupid. Two of the men grabbed the twin and held him while another stood in front of him. It put it's hand on the side of his head as it stared at him. A few seconds later, the twin dropped.

That's when I noticed that Emma was no longer standing over there. She had snuck away and helped Scott up. Who just so happened to be the person they looked at next. She quickly backed up, coming over to me. The girl Scott was with stood motionless behind him as he backed up, growling at the approaching men.

My eyes glowed as I stepped forward, ready to help Scott. The sun came up, as it was now morning, and the men vanished. Literally, they vanished. Turned to a black smoke. Scott and I both relaxed, our eyes turning back to normal. I looked around the room. They were just gone.

"What were those things?" Scott asked.

Aaron sat up, still in between the halves of the table. "I guess you've never seen ninjas before?"

"Right," I scoffed, walking up to him. "'Cause you have." I reached a hand down and he took it. I helped him up, not hearing his next words as my eyes went across the room to Derek. He was on his feet, looking just as confused as the rest of us. Then he looked at Emma. The two of them shared a weird glance. It didn't seem good, but no one acted on it.

"Your dad's 24 hours are up," Isaac said. I looked at him and he was talking to Allison. What is that supposed to mean?

 **(AUTHOR'S NOTE: the flashback scene is from Chapter 5: Artifice; of Guardian: This Might Hurt (Bk 3a)**


	9. Chapter 9: Bestiary

Allison and Isaac spent the next few minutes telling us about how these masked men have already appeared once before. That last night they were in Allison's bedroom and attacked Isaac. But Chris asked them not to say anything to us yet. He, for some reason, thinks they are after him. Clearly, that's not the case.

They aren't killing us, yet, but they are marking the ones they do manage to get a hold of. Ethan, Aiden, Isaac, and Lydia all have a small mark behind their left ear. It's like a backwards number 5. When Chris wasn't picking up, Scott, Allison, and Isaac went to go find and talk to him. I also found out that the girl Scott was with was named Kira. Scott said he'd drop her off on the way.

Ethan and Aiden left, leaving me with Emma, Aaron, and Derek. Emma had been tuning everyone out, it seemed. She was busy staring at her phone. Once the others had left, she put her phone away and looked at me. "I'm gonna head home," she said, her eyes glancing at Derek. "Check on Charlie."

"Okay," I nodded. And then she was gone. She couldn't get out of there fast enough. And now it's just the three of us. You could feel the awkward in the air the whole time. Everyone kept shooting glances at me and at Derek. I think they were waiting for something to happen. But I'm still not sure what to say.

"So," Aaron walked up to me. He stood in the middle of me and Derek, like he was going to be the mediator. "Do you want me to stay? Do you want me to go?" Aaron looked at me as my eyes dropped to the ground. "Do you even want to talk to Derek, right now, 'cause you don't have to say a word, if you don't want?"

"No. I want to talk."

"Great," he clapped his hands and rubbed them together. "I'll wait right outside the door, so just holler if you need me. Okay?" I nodded. He patted Derek are the shoulder as he walked past him.

"Thanks, Aaron," he said. And then we stood in silence, about ten feet apart. I crossed my arms, not sure what else to do. "How are you?"

I looked at him. "Confused." That pretty much summed everything up. "Did they tell you?"

"That you pretty much don't remember anything? Yeah."

"They've tried to tell me everything, but," I sighed. "It's a lot, and it's hard to get the facts straight."

"It's okay. That part's even hard for us, sometimes."

"So where were you?"

"I took my sister, Cora, to South America. I would've been back sooner-" he paused, "-but I got a little tied up."

I nodded, thinking. "So, um…Scott and Stiles, they've all told me that we were together." I figured I'd just break the ice. Rip the band-aid off. "I don't remember-"

"I'm not expecting you to," he said. "I've been getting the feeling you knew this was going to happen."

"What makes you say that?"

He walked across the room and grabbed his coat. "Mainly what you said to me when I last saw you." He reached into one of the pockets and pulled out a book. The covers where a pearl white that glistened when light hit it. "But also this."

He walked up to me and held it out. I looked at it, cautiously, then at him. "What is it?"

"It's your bestiary."

"Why do you have it?"

"I found it in the front seat of your car, after you vanished."

I took the book from him, eyeing it the whole time. Like it might come to life and eat me, or something. I opened it, thumbed through the pages. Then I looked at him. "The pages are blank."

"I know." He backed up, as if he could see how uncomfortable I felt with him so close to me. "When you went to fight Tobias that night, you had a plan. That plan didn't seem to include the bestiary. I wasn't surprised to see that it's pages were blank. But I was curious why you brought it with you. That's when I took a closer look at the pages."

"What do you mean?"

"Look at the pages with your other eyes, your real ones," he said. I opened the book, letting my eye glow green, and stared at the pages. Words appeared on the pages, they just couldn't be seen with human eyes. But it wasn't English, or any other language, for that matter. But I knew what it was. "You told me once that you can use unicorn tears in place of ink, but the words wouldn't be visible to humans."

"Unicorn tears?" I questioned. "How?"

He chuckled. "I don't know. You didn't tell me that part. The words aren't written in any language known to man. That's when I remembered you telling me that you and your friend came up with your own language, so you could tell each other things without people over hearing you."

"Emma," I whispered her name, the memory coming back to me. We came up with that when we were kids. Why would I have told him that? But how else would he have known?

"I think that you knew you'd lose your memory, and that that book would be left blank. So you wrote over the words with the invisible ink."

I thought, then gestured to the book. "Can you read it?"

"No, you didn't teach it to me," he said, and I believed him.

"Okay, um…thank you for giving it back."

"I hope it has, at least, some of the answers you're looking for."

This whole thing has felt weird. I'm still not sure what to do about it. "What…what did I say to you, the last time we talked?"

"You wanted me to believe that you could kill Tobias on your own." But he paused. "And to trust that somehow you'd come back to me."

My next question, I tried to sound as genuine as possible. "Did I love you?"

The question seemed to take him off guard, but he still answered fairly quickly. "Yes."

"Did you love me?" I asked. That's when I saw something change behind his eyes. It was the realization of what I was asking him, the realization of the situation we were both now in. The fact that I don't remember all the times he might have said 'I love you', or all the times he acted on them. The fact that I don't remember him.

"Always."

That seemed like the only thing he's said that he was sure of. I looked away, mulling it over. This is when I want one of those flashback moments to happen. I want the room to fade away and have it take me to a place that shows me all of this, what we were. To a place I should remember.

A few moments passed before I said anything. It helped that he wasn't getting impatient with me. He seemed to understand that I had to really think everything through. But the vision I saw of Scott, Stiles, Derek, and me at the high school, when I heard Scott's roar – it was different then.

We were different, Derek and I. He was literally fighting me. And I was letting him. Because he wasn't believing what I was trying to tell him, and that was more important. That he believed me. In that moment, I looked like that was all I cared about.

And then just a little while ago, I had a different flashback/vision thing. In this one, Derek and I were friends, it seemed. He looked at me a lot differently than he had. All the contempt he had was gone. And even now, standing right in front of me, he's looking at me yet another way.

"It's going to take me a while to figure all this out," I said. "But, I'd like to find out for myself why it is I felt that way about you." It seemed like he wasn't expecting me to say that, but he was pleased with it. Maybe he was expecting me to want nothing to do with him.

But everything else Scott and Stiles and everyone have been telling me seems to be true. Why would the part about Derek be wrong? I just need to know more. No one knows what our relationship was like, except Derek and me. And since I can't remember, I'm going to have to trust that what he tells me is true.

"Can I ask you something?" I said, and he nodded. "Be patient with me?"

He smiled. "Take your time. I'm not going anywhere."

"Thank you." I offered a weak smile, still unsure of this whole thing, and then I left. I met Aaron outside the door. Honestly I forgot he was waiting for me. We headed down to the parking lot and then climbed into the truck. I guess Emma must've walked home.

Aaron didn't ask about how it went. He was actually pretty quiet. But I'm sure he was listening. He seems like the type of person who doesn't miss out on the juicy details. But he didn't act like he knew anything. Which was nice. I really didn't want to talk to him about it, I was too busy thinking.

It wasn't until we got home that he spoke. I saw him looking at me out of the corner of my eye. "You okay?"

I looked at him, giving him the best smile I could muster right then. "I will be."

He glanced down at the book in my lap. "What do you think it says?"

"I don't know." I held it up so I could see it better. "But it's my hand writing."

"Okay, well…get to reading, I guess," he said. We both got out of the truck. Aaron stayed near the end of the driveway, as his car was waiting for him.

"So what are you gonna do?"

"I don't know," he shrugged. "I guess it depends on if you want me to stay."

I sighed. "You can't base your life around me. I don't know what I want."

"Said every girl ever," he smiled. "And, yeah, I can."

"Why would you?"

"Because that's what you did for me." He turned around and walked to his car. I watched him walk to the driver's door. Then he stopped and looked at me. "Go read."

"I know," I chuckled.

"Call me, though, if it says something stupid."

"Like what?"

"Like if it starts with 'A long time ago, in a galaxy-"

"Far far away'," I smiled at the shocked look on his face. "What? I didn't spend all my childhood hiding in the woods."

"Yeah, but," he leaned into the car, clearly thinking. "I thought that was an 'old you' thing." He thought again. "Huh. I feel offended, now."

"Okay…?" I wasn't sure where he was going with this. I was very glad I wasn't in his mind.

"Why'd you let me think you'd never seen them before?"

I tossed out my arms. "How am I supposed to know?"

"Oh, yeah." He sighed, like he was going to cut his losses. "Oh, well. But I doubt you've ever seen the first three episodes."

"They made more?"

"Ha!" he pointed at me. "We're doing a movie night, one of these days. Mark my words!"

"Okay," I laughed. "Bye, Aaron."

"Later!" He ducked into the car like his life depended on it. I turned and walked up to the house. I used the key to get in; I wasn't going to bother with knocking. I was glad to see that Emma was home, and with Charlie. But she wasn't looking at me. Actually, she was avoiding all eye contact with me.

I walked up to the island and sat, putting the book in front of me. She was in front of the sink, finishing putting the dishes away from the drainer. "Was Charlie awake when you got home?"

"No." And that was it. One word was all I got from her.

"Em, I think we need to talk."

"Did you talk to Derek?"

I was instantly confused. "Yes. But that doesn't have to do with anything. I want to know why you're acting the way you are."

"How do you mean?"

"I mean that right there. You're countering everything I say."

She closed the cupboard as she looked at me. "I have nothing to say."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"What happened to 'I'll tell you later'?" I asked.

She sighed and leaned into the counter opposite me. "It's nothing. Really. You just had me on edge while you were gone."

"Are you sure that's it?"

"I promise. That's everything." She glanced down at the book. "What's that?"

"Just something Derek gave me," I stood, grabbing it. "It's nothing." What is going on with her? I don't think she's telling me the truth. But why would she lie? I went into my room and changed. You know, into something that didn't show as much skin.

Then I grabbed the book and my coat and headed for the door. "I have something I need to take care of," I announced as I walked into the living room. "Do I need to take Charlie with me or can you watch him?" Emma was sitting on the couch, reading a book.

"Well, he is your responsibility." She didn't even look at me when she said it. I wanted to say something, but I knew I'd regret it. So, instead, I walked up to Charlie. I hyped up that we were going somewhere, trying to make it sound better to leave his toys.

But he had a light brown, stuffed T-Rex that he was attached to, and I knew I'd never get it away from him, so I let him bring it. It was cute. It was in the sitting position with large feet that had dark brown dinosaur footprints on the bottom of them. But it did make me wonder how it is that kids pick their favorite toy.

I led him out to the truck and then lifted him up into it. Then I went around to the driver's side. Yes, I know. I still don't remember driving. But I'm hoping Emma was right about that whole muscle memory thing. I climbed up into the driver's seat and then got Charlie buckled in next to me.

Then I faced the steering wheel. I've seen both Emma and Aaron do this. It can't be that hard. Right? I put the key in the ignition and turned it until I heard the engine roar to life. I pressed in the brake, slid it into reverse. And then I was on my way. Yes, I hit the neighbor's trash cans as I backed up.

And, no, I don't think they mind. The cans were empty. But the rest seemed smooth. Traffic lights were hard to time, but no one honked and no one died. Where I wanted to go wasn't too incredibly far, but far enough that I didn't want to walk.

I just wouldn't be able to focus at the house. All I'd be thinking about is Emma. I know she's hiding something. I'm just not sure why she won't tell me. I arrived at my destination, alive. I got out of the truck and then grabbed Charlie. I walked to the warehouse, sliding the bay door open.

I felt around for the light, flipping it on as soon as my fingers touched it. In front of me was what used to be my car, and is now scrap metal. Though the boys are still trying to fix it. It looks like they fixed some more of the dents, the windshield is put in, and they're about to put in an engine. Though it still needs more. And I still think it's a waste of time.

I sat Charlie down, taking his hand, and walked up to the car. I'm not sure why, but this was the first place I thought of when I thought about getting out of the house. Despite the fact that I was just gone for a couple days. But I thought I would find the Nemeton and it would help me, or something.

So, here I am…with a no-longer-magical book, a kid that's not mine, and a broken down car. This is what plan B looks like. The inside of the car was still intact. I opened the back door and looked inside. The interior was just fine. So…they either already fixed it or nothing was ever wrong with it.

I sat Charlie on the backseat, making sure he had his stuffed animal. Then I closed the door and walked to the driver's side. The handle was still tapped and the window was still broken. But they fixed the steering wheel. Go figure. I reached through the window and grabbed the handle on the other side of the door.

I let the door swing open, watching it. I sat in the front seat, gingerly. I knew the car wasn't going to do anything to me, but something felt slightly unsettling. I pulled both my legs in the car and closed the door. I sat the bestiary on the seat next to me.

I know I can't go anywhere with this thing, but I'd like to try to. In my mind, I mean. I know that sometimes, people will remember something if they retrace their steps. This is what I was in the night I fought Tobias. According to Scott, the last time Derek saw me I was at my house and going to leave to go wherever Tobias was.

How did I know where he was, though? Scott said that they never told me where the Nemeton was. Well, for that matter, how did I just find it in the woods? How'd I know it'd be there? I sighed, glancing back at Charlie, absentmindedly. I put my hands on the wheel as weird feeling formed in the pit of my stomach. My eyes glowed and the scenery in front of me changed.

 **(EMMA'S POV)**

I remained on the couch, the same place I was when she left. I'm being so stupid, I know. But I can't help it. I don't know what to do. I've been lying to her this whole time. How do you think she'll take finding out the truth? Terribly, that's how. And then I will literally have no one. Well, almost no one.

The front door opened and Derek walked into the house. "Figures," I scoffed. "She gave you a key." It was a statement that came out sounding more like a question. I sighed and stood, walking up to him with arms crossed. "She's not here."

"I know."

"Then why are you?"

"Because I want to know what you're really doing here."

"Was that a question? Or a demand?"

"Don't get smart with me," he said. "I'd like to hear your side before I go to Kit."

I frowned. "Go ahead. She'll tell you the same thing I will. I came here looking for her."

"No." He shook his head with a smug look on his face that said he already knew everything. "That's not it."

"Really?" I wanted to sound intimidating, but at the same time, I didn't want this to turn into a fist fight. That's something I probably wouldn't win. "Don't know where you got that idea." I turned to walk away.

"Well, I know at least one thing Kit doesn't."

I whipped around. "And what's that?"

"You're pregnant."

I wanted to say something witty to counter it, maybe get mad. But I couldn't. The proof was in the pudding. And that pudding is my stomach and it has it's own heart beat. So I retracted. "When did you figure it out?"

"The other night when I came here and you told me to leave," he said it without sounding mad. He wasn't angry with me, but there was something in is voice, I just couldn't place it. "I assume the boy with you was Charlie, Blair's son." I nodded. "I don't care why you lied to me. But I want the truth. Now."

"That's it," I shrugged. "My only secret."

"You expect me to believe that something's not preventing you from telling Kit? Last night you did everything possible to get away from those things, and I'm assuming it wasn't the first time you've chosen yourself over someone else."

"What are you trying to get at?"

"That your secret is going to get people hurt, and it doesn't make any sense why you're going to such lengths to keep it." He wasn't going to stop until he had the answer. "So, I'm only going to ask you one more time. Why are you really here?"

 **(KIT'S POV)**

I was still sitting in the front seat of my car, but I was in front of the high school. And Aaron sat next to me. This time was different. I wasn't watching another me do things. I was doing the things. Aaron grabbed the handle and popped the door open like his life depended on it. I grabbed the sleeve of his coat. "Aaron," I said and he sighed. The words came out of my mouth without me telling them too. He looked at me. "Remember-"

"'Everything you've taught me'." He sighed. "I know."

"This is different." I couldn't make myself stop talking. It's like I wasn't in control of my own body. "Call me, for whatever reason."

"I know."

"Or Derek."

"I know."

"But if something's happening and you need help faster than I can get there-"

"Call Scott." He smiled, un-amused.

"And Isaac. Stiles and Lydia will help you, too."

He looked straight forward with a groan. He finally looked at me. "Okay."

"Okay," I nodded. Still, I wasn't in control. I wasn't in my own front seat. Something else was.

He pulled out his phone and held it out to me. "Do you want to double check my numbers, I might be missing a digit."

I laughed and pushed him out the door. He laughed, too, grabbed his bag and then headed for the school. I sighed. What is going on? I put my hand on the key. Someone's reflection caught me in the eyes and I looked up to see who it was. I saw someone standing in the parking lot between a few parked cars.

At first, it was blurry. And then suddenly it became clear. He became clear. I saw his face and it was like something squeezed my heart. I recognized him from Aaron's photo album. He was Tobias. The scenery in front of me changed. I saw the dark night sky; I saw the stump that was the Nemeton; the wind was picking up and the ground around it was starting to collapse. And I saw Tobias, again.

And just as fast, I was back at the warehouse, sitting in a car that didn't work. I was out of breath, my hands squeezing the wheel so hard my knuckles were white. I quickly let it go, like I knew I wasn't supposed to be touching it. I twisted to see Charlie. He was sitting quietly with his toy.

I sighed and turned forward, my eyes landing on the bestiary beside me. Why did I bring it with me? Did I actually need it to fight Tobias? Or was I hoping Derek would find it? Maybe I didn't want it getting lost. But what if I died and Tobias lived? Maybe he would have taken it?

I grabbed it, admiring the pearl colored covers. And then I opened the book and began reading:

 _Dear Beckett-Ann,_

 _Or at least, that's what you'll call yourself. But that's not you. Not anymore. If I'm right, you'll only remember everything up until that day, the day you touched the Nemeton. If I'm wrong, you'll be dead and this is a complete waste of my time._

 _But, let's assume I was right, and you are reading this. I wrote this in the language that Emma and I came up with when we were kids, so that you'd know it was actually me writing it. I'm sure my friends and family have already told you a lot. Maybe everything they know._

 _But I'm going to start from the top. For one, Scott, Stiles, Derek, everyone – they're all telling you the truth. About everything. That day, in the woods, you saw a tree stump called the Nemeton. When you touched it, you were turned into the Kirin and taken back in time to 1829._

 _There, you met the Kirin before you, John Williams (but he's had many names). You posed as his daughter and took his last name. You also started going by Beckett, as that better fit the times. That day, you became Beckett Williams. You forgot about the Pride, Emma, the future. Your new responsibility was much greater than all that._

 _And after John died, you kept his name in honor of him. He was the father you always wanted, a man worthy of respect. You were then alone for many years. Of course you made friends and had jobs, but you never told anyone what you were. No one ever knew you like John did._

 _But, in those days, a woman didn't live alone. Afraid someone would look a little closer at you, in 1894, you married a man named Michael Grant. Your name at the time was Sara Mills. But then you changed it to Sara Grant after you married him._

 _But, like John, you've had many names. Abigail Roth in 1875. Mary Foster in 1901. Beckett Grant in 1925. Hanna Westworth in 1936. Miley Jones in 1954. Rachelle Smith in 1971. Ann Jess in 1983. Rose Mills in 1999. And then you went back to Sara Grant in 2002, when you met and stayed with the Hales. You kept it until about 2011, when you went back to Beckett Williams after telling everyone you were the Kirin._

 _Now, back to Michael. He was a nice young man, whom you pretended to love. You only needed him to help you fit in. For that time, the wife was supposed to provide her husband with children. You were hesitant, but you did. You had two daughters with him, Hope and Holly._

 _In 1901, something happened and in order to protect them you had to reveal who you were. Michael was afraid and didn't understand. He took the girls and left. You ran, changing your name and getting as far away as you could. You never saw any of them ever again._

 _But you were pregnant. You didn't want to raise a child on the run and with the life you had. So you let him go. You named him after his father and left him with a family you spent months looking for. They were a nice couple who couldn't have their own children due to an injury the husband sustained during war. Their names were April and Jefferson Alan._

 _Through all your journeys, you couldn't stay away. You wanted to know what happened to him. He wasn't supernatural. He became a lawyer, valuing work over life. He died in 1974, after retiring, killed by one of the men he'd help put away. Then in 2002 you stayed with the Hales._

 _You then joined the Argents, months before the fire that killed the Hales. You knew Kate most likely did it, but proving it was impossible at the time. But you had nothing to do with it. You blame yourself for not preventing it, but you couldn't have known what she was going to do._

 _You only stayed with the Argents out of need, like when you married Michael. But then Sam (who you thought was your cousin) asked you to join his pack and help him run it. You had found out you had blood relatives in 1998. You and Ben pieced it all together. You were their babysitter in 1997, when Aaron was a baby and your Aunt Lily had just died._

 _You gladly joined Sam's pack. You met Tobias Fletcher at high school shortly after. You built a life together. He made you think he loved you. But he didn't. You weren't the same after the day Tobias betrayed everyone and killed your pack. You didn't know, but Blair survived. Tobias forced himself on her and they ended up having Charlie._

 _You shut yourself off from the world after Tobias. You moved in with Ben, in Beacon Hills. Almost instantly after, Scott was bitten. And you did what you were supposed to, you helped him. But you didn't know how much of a challenge this one would be. Or, how worth it it was._

 _You never counted on Stiles or Derek being involved. You didn't expect Peter and the Argents, either. You did your best and outlived both Peter and Kate. But, I'm sure you know, Peter's back. But Kate did something to you that caused your powers to turn off for a while._

 _Derek became an Alpha when he killed Peter. He then started a pack of his own; Jackson, Isaac, Erica, and Boyd. Jackson became a Kanima, but he's now a werewolf. Erica and Boyd are both dead. Isaac remains, but he never really was with Derek. Derek gave up being the Alpha to save his sister, Cora. That's a long story. Scott, I'm sure, is an Alpha, or will be soon. Trust Scott, he isn't a True Alpha for nothing._

 _But when you moved in with Ben, and came back to Beacon Hills, you did something you thought you'd never do again. You fell in love. And this time, with someone who truly loves you. He won't betray you like Tobias did. Yes, you've had your ups and downs. I didn't say you two were perfect. But you accept each other for who you are. Don't forget that he's the one you love; and have since the day you first met him._

 _There are about a million things I could tell you, all things you wish you could take back. But the truth? You wouldn't be who you are without those things. Everything, good and bad, it all made you who you are – were. It made you someone you were proud of. Someone you wanted to be. The best version of yourself._

 _But all of this…it only matters if you want it too. You have to want this life. I didn't at first. But you're not the Kirin. You're finally a white tiger. And you can do whatever you want with your life. Just don't forget Beacon Hills. Don't forget the people whose lives you changed, the people you love._

 _I don't know if I'm going to survive this. But if I do…it won't be for me. I'll be living for them. For every Beta I've ever helped. For Scott, Stiles, Isaac, and Lydia. For Sam and Aaron. For the man I love. And for Charlie…the boy I've never met, but can't wait to raise._

 _You might not remember, but don't let those one hundred ninety three years have been for nothing. The past hasn't changed just because you don't remember it. You've sacrificed a lot, and so have others to protect you. You got the fresh start you dreamed of. The problem: you didn't really know what you wanted until a few minutes ago; right when you're about to give it all up._

 **(AUTHOR'S NOTE: the flashback scenes are from Chapter 2: Flame, and Chapter 20: End Game; of Guardian: This Might Hurt (Bk 3a)**


	10. Chapter 10: Oni

**(EMMA'S POV)**

"Let's face it," I said. "At this point, you wouldn't believe me anyway."

"Try me," Derek said.

I huffed. This was stupid. But maybe my only chance at redemption. "I came to town looking for Kit because I needed the Kirin." I spoke like the words were being forced out of me by my angry parents. "I needed her help."

"With what? It's been years since you two have seen each other."

"I know. But times change." I thought back, to the cause of this whole mess. "After Kit's parents died, she joined our Pride and my family took her in. I'm sure you at least know that much." He nodded, so I continued. "So, our Pride is made up of misfits, the people other packs or Prides don't want, for one reason or another. It naturally makes us weak. One day, a revival pack, one we were told we were on good terms with, decided they were going to wipe us out. There were only about fifteen of them.

"But, in all reality, we only had about five to ten people who were able to fight. The rest were children or disabled or old. At first they said they came in peace, but that they were now in control. But one thing led to the next. Before I knew it, they were taking complete control and people were dying and there was a war going on.

"We tried to fight back, but were quickly losing. We all felt it when the Nemeton came back to life. That's when I remembered about Kit. I knew she was the Kirin and could help us. But then I find her and she's not the Kirin, has no memories of such a creature. But things are getting worse at home, and I'm out of options. I'm out of ideas." I sighed. "So I haven't told her because I don't know how. Right now, that Pride is all she remembers. And now it's almost gone."

"How many people are left in your Pride?"

"Maybe ten, I don't know." It pained me to say it, but the look on his face only made me feel worse. "Most are dead, but some left in the hopes of surviving."

He gestured toward me. "What about the father?"

My eyes were fixed on one spot in the room. "Dead. He was my husband, Dylan. His adoptive sister, Joy, has been trying to help me figure out how to stop them."

"Where's she?"

"Back with the Pride, I assume. She was here yesterday, but," I shook my head. "She got mad and left. My mother told me that if I couldn't find Kit, she didn't want me to come back. She wants me to live, but that means they'll die. So…I don't know what to do. This baby is all I have left of my husband, but if I don't do anything at all, I'll lose the whole Pride."

He seemed to be thinking it over. I'm not even sure why I just told him all that. I probably shouldn't have. "Let me look into it."

I scoffed. "What can you do?"

"I don't know. But, clearly, I have a lot more resources than you."

"So, what? I'm just supposed to 'rest easy' knowing Derek Hale's on the case?"

He nodded. "Yeah. You are." He turned and headed for the door. He opened it and then stopped to look at me. "I won't tell Kit about the Pride. But you might want to tell her about the other thing, before she hears it, too." And then he was gone.

 **(KIT'S POV)**

I closed the book and sat back. My mind was numb. I wasn't sure what to say…or think…or move. I don't know anything. That was….soooo much information. Who else knows? Why did she – I – tell myself the things I did? Does that mean no one else knows that I was married and had three kids?!

Holy cow. I was married and had three kids. Is that why it's so easy for me to take care of Charlie? Because I've already done it before? And, Tobias wasn't the first person I was with, but he was the straw that broke everyone's backs. Please tell me I don't have a child with him. I don't need that right now.

I opened the car door and slid out. But I couldn't help thinking that Scott and Stiles didn't mention any of that. Not one peep. Maybe they don't know. Does Derek? Surely he knows. Right? Would I have told him? I saw how mad he was in that one flashback. Maybe I thought he'd do that again.

I walked to the back passenger door and opened it. "Hey, buddy." Charlie still sat where I left him. Why is this kid so calm? His mother was a werelion and his father a werewolf. Maybe mixing the breeds helps smooth out the homicidal tendencies? I don't know.

I pulled him out of the car and put him on his feet. Then I grabbed the stuffed animal and gave it to him. He had an iron grip on it's arm. I knew there was no way he'd drop it. We went back to the truck and I drove us home. This time it didn't seem as hard.

When we walked in the door, Emma came around the corner. She smiled. Which was odd. Charlie went off to play as I walked up to her. "Everything okay?"

"I don't know," she said. "But I have something to tell you."

"Okay," I casually placed my hands on my hips.

"I've been keeping something from you, and, I can't give you all the details, but I need to tell you so you won't hate me."

I shrugged. "Why would I hate my best friend?" I smiled. "Especially when she's pregnant."

"Beckett-Ann!" she scoffed. "How long have you known?"

"Since the day you found me, when I had run off as a tiger. You couldn't keep up with me, so I listened."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Telling your best friend you're pregnant for the first time is one of those special moments I didn't want to ruin. But then you never told me."

"So, you kept pretending?" she asked and I nodded. "Last night at Derek's, you got in front of me when those things started coming our way."

"Yeah, I wasn't going to let them touch you, pregnant or not."

She smiled. "I don't deserve you."

"From what I hear, no one does," I said and we both laughed. Then she hugged me, and I felt like we had finally cleared the air. I knew she'd tell me the rest when she's ready. There obviously had to be a man somewhere in her life in order for her to be expecting a child. But I guess she's not ready for that part. I, now, more than anyone know that we all have our secrets.

"Oh," she said. "Your phone's been going crazy since you left." She walked over to the coffee table and grabbed my cell phone. She must have fished it out of the trash after I left. She brought it to me. "Someone really wants to get a hold of you."

"Thanks." I took the phone from her and then began sifting through the string of texts I'd gotten. "They're all from Scott."

"Is everything okay?"

"He wants me to meet him at his house before sunset. He thinks the 'demon ninjas' will be back tonight."

"'Demon ninjas'? That's great."

"Yeah." I sighed and looked at her. "He thinks that because they were staring at us when the sun came up and they vanished, that that means they'll be back to finish off the job."

"So he wants to protect you from them. What about that other girl? Kira?"

"I'm sure she'll be there, too."

"You should go," she said.

"What? What about you? You were there last night, too."

"Yeah, but I don't think they wanted me. They went straight for Aiden and then Scott." She crossed her arms. "Besides, someone needs to watch Charlie. I don't think introducing him to demonic ninjas is a good idea."

"No, but…what if you're wrong? What if they come here?"

"I don't think they will. But I'll call you."

I sighed. This was stupid. Even more stupid is that I'm agreeing to it. "Fine. Scott said that Allison, her dad, and Isaac are working on something that might tell them what these things are. As soon as we know, I'll call you." I knew sunset wasn't that far away, so I left the house and walked to Scott's.

He doesn't live too far. Not sure how I know that. I felt a sense of déjà vu as I neared his house. I'm sure I've done this before, but I don't remember. I arrived at the house just as Melissa was getting out of her car. I slipped my hands into my jacket pockets, noticing just how low the sun was.

"Kit?" she asked, and I looked at her. "Why are you here?"

"Scott asked me to come."

She seemed to know exactly what that meant. She nodded toward the house, motioning for me to follow her. So I did. We walk into the house through the side door that led into the kitchen. And, apparently, right into an argument. "Hey, what's going on?" Melissa asked. Scott and Kira we talking with a man. And it didn't seem like they were getting along. Scott didn't want him here. You could almost smell it.

"Maybe one of you should explain," the man said to Scott and Kira. Then he glanced at Melissa, doing a double take when he saw me. "Do I know you?" But I didn't get a chance to answer. The sun had completely set, and the house darkened. I looked at Scott with questioning eyes, but he didn't seem to be paying attention.

But then my eyes shifted past Scott. One of those masked men appeared in the living room. The man started walking toward the living room. And that's when Scott and the others saw what I was seeing. "Dad, no," Scott said to him, but he didn't listen. "Dad, wait!"

Well, now I know who this man is but that won't do me any good at the moment. Or him. Another one of those ninjas appeared behind Scott's dad, driving his sword into the man's shoulder. He fell to the floor as Melissa and Scott ran forward.

Melissa got down, examining the man's wound as Scott growled. His eyes were fixed on the two masked men. I stepped around Kira, standing next to Scott as my eyes glowed. Melissa drug Scott's dad out of the line of fire. The front door opened and someone rolled into the room, growling.

It was Derek. He was fully shifted. Scott took that as his queue to do the same, and then the two were fighting. I turned and looked at Kira. Through my glowing eyes I saw an orange glow around her. But it was a glow that had form. It was a fox. But the look on her face told me that she didn't know how to use it yet.

No wonder Scott wanted to protect her. I decided to stay back, and keep her company. "Kira, right?" I asked. She nodded with unsure eyes. I heard an indescribable sound from behind us. And I knew one of those things had appeared. "Don't freak out, yeah?"

I spun around to face her, fully shifted. Her eyes widened at my painted skin. But I didn't say anything to her; I just pushed her out of the way. The masked man, demonic ninja, or whatever you want to call it, had it's sword drawn. It swung it's sword and began to bring it down on me.

I grabbed it's hands on the handle of the sword, stopping the blade inches from me. It pushed against me. I growled, trying to push him back. The sound of glass breaking to my right filled my ears. The noise was followed by two growls. I snuck a glance to see the twins, Ethan and Aiden.

They both ran over. One of the boys grabbed me and pulled me out of the way as the other boy rammed his shoulder into the ninja. But that barely fazed it. It righted itself and then swung it's blade with a wide arch. I crouched to miss it as the boys ducked.

Once the ninja had completed it's swing, I ran forward and slammed into it's stomach, driving it back. The twins helped, each getting on a side of me and pushing. We gave it one last shove and it crashed through the door in the kitchen. I stood and looked around the room.

Scott had just shoved his opponent out a window in the living room. "Mom, now!" he shouted. "Do it, now!" I wasn't sure what he was talking about, but I was starting to get used to it. Derek was still locked with one of the ninjas. He got a hold of it and forced him back, toward the door he had come in through.

Melissa stepped out of the shadows and followed Derek. Once he had shoved the ninja out the door, Melissa through a glass jar at the ground. The ninjas had gotten to their feet and were all standing around the house looking in. But that's all they were doing. They didn't actually come in. Mountain Ash, I thought. They can't come in.

I sighed, trying to catch my breath. I left the twins and saw that Kira was fine. Though, she looked at me like I was the monster. She must really be new to this whole thing. I shifted back to human, every part of me returning to normal. I looked toward the rest of the house, my eyes landing on Derek.

He looked away, as if he'd realized he'd been staring. Scott and Melissa were trying to take his dad upstairs. I went to them and helped by taking Melissa's place holding the man up. I was a lot stronger than she was. We took him into Scott's bedroom and laid him on the bed. Melissa resumed her place at his side, putting pressure on his wound.

"How bad is it?" Scott asked her.

"From the way that his arm is rotated, the tendon looks torn," she answered. "He could be on his way to a collapsed lung." I sighed. That didn't sound good. I left the room, leaving them to their own devices. I headed back down stairs and into the living room.

I pulled out my phone and texted Emma. I wanted to make sure the masked men hadn't gone to the house. I went to the kitchen as I texted. I wasn't sure leaving Kira with the twins would be a good idea. Turns out, I was right. I put my phone away to see that the boys had Kira cornered and were pressuring her to tell them what she was.

"What are you doing?" I asked them, using a tone that suggested that they were total morons. Which, let's face it…

"She's a Kitsune, idiot," Derek said as he walked past me, closer to the twins. "Use your eyes. You can see it all around her. The younger ones give off an aura. She just hasn't learned to conceal it yet. She probably doesn't know what kind she is either."

I'm not surprised he knew that. But Kira didn't look too sure as to whether or not it was a good thing that everyone knew what she was. So the boys dropped Kira like a hot potato and turned on me. "Why are you here?" one of then asked.

"Aiden…" the other warned.

"Maybe you're the reason why those things are here," Aiden continued, ignoring his brother. "You just magically reappear, along with a bunch of phantom ninjas that only come out at night?"

"Uh…" I wasn't quite sure what he was looking for. "As much as I'd love to take the blame for this one, I can't. As far as why I'm here, Scott asked me to come."

"Where's Emma?" Derek asked me.

I looked at him. "My house. With Charlie." My phone buzzed so I pulled it out to look at it. "She seems to think they won't come after her."

"Does she know what they are?"

"If she does, she didn't say. But I don't think she'd keep something from us that might get us hurt." Emma replied and said that they were fine. I put my phone away, relieved to hear that.

"So what are you?" Ethan asked. I looked up and found him looking at me. "Now that you're no longer the Kirin," he added. He seemed genuinely curious, unlike Aiden. My eyes slightly shifted around the room. I hardly know these boys. But I still answered. Especially since everyone now knows what Kira is.

"I was born a white tiger," I said. "So that's all I am. Now."

"Do you remember anything from before?"

"If you mean, do I remember you guys and the stuff you did? No. But when everyone I ask has the same story…" I shrugged. "I'm going to believe it." Scott stepped into the room and Kira instantly went to him, wanting to speak with him. She clearly doesn't trust any of us. I don't blame her. I don't trust me, either.

I looked back at the others, after Scott and Kira disappeared into the house. Aiden had a smug look on his face. He clearly wanted to say something, waiting to prove something. "I wasn't going to hurt her," he said. But somehow I knew it was directed toward Derek.

"Not yet," he said.

"Why do you think we're here, Derek? For a study group? We're here to protect Scott."

"We're trying to fight for him," Ethan added.

"I'm sure you are," Derek said, not sounding convinced. "I'm sure you'd kill for him. But are you willing to die for him?" The boys didn't reply. I didn't expect them to. The room fell quiet. As soon as Derek looked at me, I motioned for him to join me in the other room. And he did.

We walked into the front room by the door. I stopped and looked at him. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"I need to ask. What all of my past did I tell you?"

The question took him off guard. And I know it's weird timing, but I need to know. "Does this have to do with the book?" I nodded. "Not much. You only told me a few things. We never spoke about either one of our pasts."

"You didn't think that was weird?"

"No. We both had our secrets and things we didn't want to relive. We've both made a lot of mistakes, over the years."

"Yeah, but, whose idea was it? To not talk about our pasts?" I clarified.

"Yours," he replied. "Why?" But before I could answer, the whole house shook. It was like something had hit it. Then it happened again. We walked back to the kitchen as Scott and Kira joined us. The masked men were beating the shield that the Mountain Ash had created around the house.

"What are they doing?" Scott asked.

"Testing for weaknesses," Ethan answered. They kept hitting the house, getting harder with each one. Things were falling off the kitchen counters and breaking, the light fixtures above us were swinging around. They tried jamming their swords straight through it, teaming up. "Guys." One of them pulled it's sword out and then tried with it's hand. And the hand was actually coming through. "We have a problem."

I'd say. This is not good. Scott pulled out his phone and called someone. He was asking Allison for an update. And my nosy butt could hear the whole thing. "They're Japanese demons," she said. "They're called the Oni. They're looking for someone possessed. Someone with a dark spirit attacked to them."

"A Nogitsune," Scott said.

"How'd you know that?" Allison asked. "Scott?"

"Just…tell me what else."

"Okay, they won't hurt you. They know you're supernatural but once they do this check, once they realize that you're not carrying with you this dark spirit, then they won't hurt you, I promise. All they're looking for is the Nogitsune," Allison said, and then ended the call. Scott put his phone away as Kira looked at him.

"I'm right, aren't I?" she asked. "They're looking for me."

"They're looking for a dark spirit," Scott said. "And I know it's not you."

"Scott, we're gonna have to do something," Derek said. I looked away from Scott and at the door, just as the masked man, the Oni, broke the seal of Mountain Ask. Now there was nothing stopping them from coming in the house. The first Oni stepped through the door as Derek and the twins readied for another fight.

"Don't do anything," Scott said. I was slightly shocked by his words. But I should have guessed. Allison just told him that these things won't hurt us. But what happens if one of us really does have the dark spirit inside of us? I don't think I'm the reason why these things are here. But could I be wrong?

"Is he serious?" Aiden asked.

"I said don't do anything," Scott repeated. He then looked at Kira and held out his hand. I sighed. This meant I had to go along with it, too. Derek and the twins have already encountered these things, looked into their eyes. Scott, Kira, and I are the only ones who haven't.

Kira took Scott's hand, and then he looked at me. I nodded, "I know." He nodded and then looked at the Oni. The others stepped out of the way. I could tell the twins didn't like this at all. They wanted to fight them. But part of being in a pack is taking orders, even when you don't like them. And I don't like this.

I walked beside Scott and Kira. We stopped in front of the Oni, one of them in front of each of us. We stood there for a second. And then the Oni in front of me reached out and put it's hand on the side of my face.


	11. Chapter 11: Hel

I was lying in my bed, sound asleep. And then my phone went off. It was alerting me to a text message. Which would have been fine. But I was sleeping with Charlie next to me. I frantically woke at the first note in the jingle. I reached for my phone on the night stand. But I missed it, and instead sent it flying across the room.

It crashed on the floor, the backing coming off and the battery popping out. I cringed. I didn't want to look at Charlie. But when I did, he was still sleeping. I sighed with relief and then gingerly got out of bed. I walked across the room and gathered all the pieces to my phone.

I slid the battery into the phone and put the backing on. I flipped it over and held down the power button. While it did it's start up thing, I left the bedroom and walked out to the living room. I plopped on the couch, realizing just how late/early it was, as my phone was finally awake.

I had gotten a text from Stiles. That's odd. Why would I get a text from him this late? He and Scott usually just come over when they want something. Maybe something's wrong. I opened the text, not sure what I'd find. All it was was one word. And it was so stupid, I had to say it out loud. "'Hel'?"

I reread it a million times. The word 'Hell' has two L's not just one. I lowered the phone, looking out across the living room thinking. "'Hel'?" I said it one more time, looked at the phone again. This didn't make sense. So why did I have that déjà vu feeling?

I dropped the phone in my lap and looked up just as the scenery changed. I was no longer in the living room. I was sitting in a car, behind the wheel. But it wasn't my car, the one the boys are trying to fix up. This was a more compact car. But my head was tilted, my ears were tuned.

"A recipe," Allison's voice rang in my ears. I have no idea where she is. I'm sitting in a neighborhood. Maybe this is where she lived before she and her dad moved to their current place. "It's a cook book." I heard papers shuffling and hinges squeaking, followed by the turn of a handle and the locking of gears.

And then a phone started ringing. But it wasn't Allison's. "Shut it off! Shut it off!"

"I know, I'm sorry." That was Scott. He then answered the phone. What is going on? Where are they?

"Scott!" It was Stiles. He was on the other end of the phone. He screamed Scott's name, almost frantically.

"I can't talk right now." Scott hung up on him. I readjusted in my seat. Something didn't settle right with me. But this is one of those visions where I can't control my own movements. I'm trapped in this body. The body of a different me. Something buzzed across the seat next to me. I looked down to find a phone I knew was mine. I grabbed it, for some reason thinking it was Scott.

But it was a text from Stiles. All it said was 'Hel'. My eyes went from the phone to the road. And then the living room was back in my view. I stood, abruptly. I know what it means. I looked back at the text on my phone. Something's not right. The rest of that night seemed to be in my mind, but I couldn't bring it to view.

All I knew was that Stiles was in trouble. I quickly walked down the hall and burst into Emma's room. I went to her side, shaking her. "Emma, wake up. I need to go, something's happened." She moaned, reluctant to get out of bed. But she sat up. She rubbed at her eyes, turning on her lamp.

"What are you talking about?"

"I don't know exactly how I know, but something's wrong with Stiles."

"What?" she looked at me, about as alert as I was going to get. "How do you know?"

"I just said I don't know," I sighed. "I need to go. I need you to watch Charlie."

"Yeah, yeah." She lay back down. "Let me know if I can do anything." I knew if I really needed her she'd wake up. I left the room, grabbing my jacket and the keys. I put on my jacket and then jumped in the car. I need to go to Stiles' house. That's when I realized: I don't know where he lives.

But the old me does. Wow, did I really just think that? Yes, I did. Because it's true. I was once someone else, who I can't remember. That person has been trying to tell me who she was, and right now she's trying to tell me that Stiles is in trouble.

I backed out of the drive way. I let my mind slip into the back and tried not to over think it. Just like when I walked to Scott's. I let déjà vu drive me there. I know that's weird, but it worked. A few minutes later, I pulled up to what I assumed was Stiles' house.

It wasn't Scott's, and Scott's bike was parked outside. I wander if he knows that something's wrong. I walked up to the house, finding the door cracked. I pushed it open and slowly walked into the house. I followed voices down the hall, where I found Scott, Isaac, Lydia, and Aiden in what I'm assuming is Stiles room.

"Party in Stiles' room, huh?" I said as I walked in. Everyone looked at me with shocked eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Scott asked me. "Did he call you, too?"

"Not quite." I pulled out my phone and brought up the text. Then I turned it around to show everyone.

"'Hel'?" Aiden read aloud.

Isaac looked confused. "How did that tell you something was wrong with Stiles?"

"It took me a while to figure it out," I said, looking at the message. "And then I had another vision thing." I looked at Scott. "I was in a car on the side of the road listening to you and Allison. You were somewhere I couldn't see, in one of the houses in the neighborhood. You were talking about a book. Stiles called you and you told him you couldn't talk and hung up on him."

Scott nodded, remembering the time I was talking about. "We were at Allison's, looking for Gerard's bestiary. We were sneaking around in his bedroom, so I couldn't talk right then."

"Right. But then Stiles texted me the same exact word. 'Hel'. He was at the school, trapped in the pool with Derek by the Kanima. 'Hel' meant 'Help'. He just couldn't type it all out."

"But why would Stiles send you the same exact message?" Isaac asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe he knew it'd trigger a memory, or something."

"Why didn't you call?" Scott asked.

"I wanted to make sure this wasn't just a prank or something, before I started knocking down doors." I gestured to Lydia and Aiden. "Why are you here?"

"I heard it," Lydia said.

"Don't ask," Aiden quickly said. "It gets more confusing when you ask."

"Not as confusing as this." Lydia stepped to the side so we could see Stiles' bed. Hundreds of photos were pinned to the walls above his bed. Red yarn went from lots of different photos and connected on the bed, where each string was tied to the handle of a pair of scissors which were jammed into his mattress.

"Wow," I said.

"He uses red for unsolved cases."

"Maybe he thinks he's part of an unsolved case," Aiden suggested.

"Or is an unsolved case," Isaac said.

"Hold on." Lydia faced us. "Is he still out there? You don't know where he is?"

"He said he's in an industrial basement somewhere," Scott said.

"We came here to get a better scent," Isaac added.

"What else did he say?" Lydia asked.

"Something's wrong with his leg," Scott said. "It's bleeding."

"And he's freezing," Isaac chimed in again.

"Tonight's the coldest night of the year," Aiden said. "It's going to drop into the 20's."

"What did his dad say?" Lydia asked.

Scott looked around, hesitant to reply. "We kind of…we didn't tell him."

"Stiles is bleeding and freezing and you didn't call his dad?"

"He made me promise not to. We can find him by scent. If he was sleepwalking, he couldn't have gotten far, right?"

"You guys didn't notice his Jeep is gone, did you?" Aiden said.

Lydia pulled out her phone. "You promised you wouldn't tell his dad, I didn't."

"Wait, Lydia, hold on. I can get more help," Scott said. "I can call Derek, Allison-"

"Everyone except for the cops. Great idea."

"You guys remember she only gets these feelings when someone's about to die, right?" Aiden asked. And he had a good point.

"You don't have to call his dad," Scott said. "It's five minutes to the station."

"We'll catch up," Lydia said, holding back Aiden.

"What? Why?"

"There is something here."

"Yeah," Isaac said. "Evidence of total insanity."

Scott sighed. "We can figure out what's wrong with him after we find a way to keep him from freezing to death."

"Go." Lydia looked at us. "We'll be right behind you." Scott, Isaac, and I left the bedroom and made our way out of the house. We walked down the drive way to our cars.

I looked at Scott. "Are you going to call Derek and Allison?"

He nodded. "I think I have to."

"Then I'll call Emma. You two head to the station. I'll go get her," I said. Scott nodded as he got on his bike. I got in my truck and headed for the house as I called Emma. She answered fairly quickly. "Em?"

"Did you find him?"

"No. But Lydia's got a bad feeling."

"Great," she sighed.

"We need your help. Scott spoke with Stiles on the phone. He said he's bleeding and freezing. Aiden said it's supposed to be extremely cold tonight."

"Aiden?"

"Yeah. Isaac's with Scott, and he's calling Derek and Allison. We're getting everyone out looking."

"Okay, well, Charlie's wide awake. What are we supposed to do with him?"

I sighed. This kid thing was starting to get annoying. "I guess we have to bring him." I pulled up to the house a few minutes later. Emma and Charlie piled in, Charlie with his stuffed dinosaur in hand. She didn't look happy, but she knew the others would do this for her is she was missing. Or, at least, I did.

We headed to the sheriff's station. When we walked in the station, the Sheriff didn't seem to be taking the news very well. From what I know, his son is all he has. Stilinski looked at Scott and Isaac, his back turned to us as we walked in. We stopped a few feet from them, Charlie on my hip.

"If his Jeep is gone, that's where we start," the Sheriff said. He then looked at the deputy sitting behind the desk next to him. "Parrish, let's get an APB out on a blue 1980 CJ-5 Jeep." Then he looked at the next deputy. "Cordova, I want a list of any kind of industrial basement or sub-level of any building that he could've gotten into while sleepwalking."

Then he addressed everyone. "It's the coldest night of the year so far. So if he's out there barefoot, in just a t-shirt, he could already be hypothermic. Let's move fast. Let's think fast." He looked at Scott and Isaac. "The two of you, come with me." Then he turned and saw us. "You, too."

We followed them into the Sheriff's office. He closed the door, turning to face us. "Okay. Is there anything you need to tell me that I can't tell everybody out there?"

"Lydia and Kit knew he was missing," Scott said.

The Sheriff glanced at me, then back at Scott. "Can Lydia help find him?"

"She's working on it," Isaac said.

The Sheriff looked at me. "How about you?"

"I'll do my best to help sniff him out," I said.

He looked at Scott. "Anything else?"

"I called Derek and Allison for help."

"Okay." He looked at Emma. "And what can you do?"

Emma opened her mouth to reply when someone knocked on the door. It was the deputy the Sheriff called Parrish. He walked in. "We got it, Sir," he said. "We found the Jeep." Suddenly there was a frenzy to get out the door and pile into the nearest car. Stiles' dad was going crazy trying to find him.

I went to follow the others out the door and then stopped. I still had Charlie in my arms. I sighed. I walked over to Parrish's desk. "Parrish, right?" I said.

He looked up. "Yes, Ma'am."

Wow, I feel old, now. "I hate to do this," I spoke as I sat Charlie down on the corner of his desk. "But could you please watch him." He opened his mouth, so I kept talking. "Thank you so much. His name's Charlie." I turned and ran out the door. I jumped into the passenger seat of the truck, Emma behind the wheel.

We tore out of the parking lot to catch up with everyone else. We already knew they were headed to the hospital. I guess Stiles' Jeep was found in the parking lot. "Do you even know that guy?" Emma asked.

"What guy?"

"The guy you just left Charlie with," she scoffed.

"Nope." I didn't have a choice. And she knew that. Bringing him might have been too dangerous. She knows that. We pulled up in front of the hospital as every cop that came was rushing inside the building. I saw Stiles' Jeep sitting across the parking lot.

I got out and walked next to Scott as he entered the hospital. "Anything?"

"The Jeep was dead," he said. "He must've left it."

"But why come here?" Emma said as she caught up.

"That's what we have to find out," Scott replied. I could hear his nervousness in his voice. But I could also smell his fear. He was afraid we wouldn't find him in time. Emma went with the Sheriff down to the basement. I was about to go with her, when my nose stopped me.

I looked at Scott. "You smell that?"

He nodded, as Isaac joined us. "It's Stiles." Scott, Isaac, and I followed the scent. It led us through the hospital and up to the roof. Derek was already there. But that didn't surprise me; I could smell him in the stairwell.

"He's not here," Derek said. "Not anymore."

"You mean the whole building?" Scott asked him.

"Gone."

"I'll go tell Stilinski," Isaac said.

Scott stopped him. "And see if you can find Allison. She's not answering her phone." Isaac turned and left, heading back into the building. Okay, so Stiles isn't here. But where did he go? Scott walked across the roof and stopped next to Derek

"Notice how strong the scent is up here?" Derek asked him. "Ever hear of chemo signals? Chemical signals that communicate emotion. And just our sweat can give off anger, fear, or disgust. Take a deep breath and tell me what you feel." How come Scott doesn't know this already? Why didn't I teach him?

This was one of the first things I learned. My mom said it was an important tool to help determine friend from foe. To know when to run and when to hide. She told me to always trust with my senses, not my feelings. They can lead you astray but your senses are always true. But…is that right?

"Stress," Scott said.

"And anxiety," Derek added.

"What was he doing up here?"

"I don't know. But there was definitely some kind of struggle."

"With who?"

"Himself," Derek replied. Well that's not menacing. I sighed, starting to feel the drop in temperature.

"We have to keep looking," Scott said.

"I'll search the high school." Derek turned to leave.

"I'll go with you." I said it before I knew what I was saying. But I didn't regret it. He looked back at me, just as surprised by my words as I was. But he nodded. I followed him through the hospital and to his car. I texted Emma to let her know where I went. She and Scott were going to stay with the Sheriff.

The car ride was quiet. I wasn't sure what to say. Finding things to say to him seemed to be hard. I'm not sure why. I'm completely open with everyone else. But with Derek…I don't know, I guess I feel pressured to say the right thing. I guess I'm hoping that being around him more will help that feeling go away.

We arrived at the school and then began our search. I think I had a good lock on Stiles' scent, but it's a high school. Do you realize how many teenage boys walk through here daily? Too many. "Did Scott call you?" I resisted the urge to jump at the sound of Derek's voice. I almost forgot he was walking beside me.

"No. I went to him," I replied.

"You knew Stiles was missing?" he asked and I nodded.

"I knew he was in trouble," I corrected. "I just wasn't sure how much."

"How?"

I showed him the text and explained it to him like I had to Isaac, Scott, Lydia, and Aiden. About the vision and the text being the same. How the word seemed to trigger it. That need, that feeling. Somehow my mind associated Stiles' danger with that word. I just want to know how Stiles knew that.

"Do you remember everything about that night?" Derek asked. Neither of us looked at each other. We made our way around the school, 'focusing on finding Stiles'. We both knew he wasn't here. I think we were just stalling.

"I'm not sure. In the vision, all I saw was me receiving the text from Stiles-" I paused in my line of thinking. "But…I don't know. I feel like I know what happened next. But I don't remember it."

"What do you think happened?"

"I came here, to the school. I heard Lydia scream, and then I shifted. I entered the school as a tiger." I spoke as we walked. I wasn't even paying attention to where we were going. Until I smelled chlorine. Derek pushed open a door and walked through it. He held it open for me.

I stepped through, seeing the pool. I numbly walked to the pool, stopping about two feet from it. Then the scenery slightly changed, the light diming as Stiles and Derek appeared in the pool, both looking at me with shock and confusing. I blinked and the pool was empty again.

I looked at Derek beside me, checking to make sure he was still there. Then I looked back at the pool, that different scenery cutting in again. "What do you see?" I heard Derek's words but wasn't really listening. The pool went back to being empty and I sighed, walking away from it.

"Nothing," I said, heading for the door. "Stiles isn't here. We should-"

"Forget about Stiles, for a minute." His tone suggested that he was being impatient, but his face was telling me something else.

I slightly stiffened. "What are you doing, Derek?"

He held out his hand, like he wanted me to take it. "Humor me." I looked at his hand, and then him. A small smile crossed his lips. "It's okay. I don't bite."

I walked toward him. "I take it that's some kind of running joke between us…?"

"Something like that." But his smile said it was more.

I put my left hand if his. He smiled at me, like he was saying 'now, that wasn't so hard, was it?' If he actually said that, I might've had to slap him. Something I could picture the old me doing a lot of. I guess he just has one of those faces. He led me around the pool, to the side of it.

"What else do you remember about that night?" he asked.

"I think I saved you," I replied. But then I quickly added, "You and Stiles." For some reason I felt the need to make sure he knew I wasn't just saving him. "I'm not sure."

"It's okay." He stopped and looked at me. "You don't have to remember every detail." Clearly. It seems that's exactly what he wants. I asked him to be patient with me. Does this look like a man whose being patient? I didn't think so.

I nodded, unsure of my next words. "Then why don't you remind me." I didn't think it could harm anything. I mean, what are the odds that he'd actually say something that could make me remember? Well. Stiles' one word text made me remember. And not only did I remember an event, I remembered a feeling.

"You helped me and Stiles out of the pool," he began. "You made sure we were safe, and then you fought the Kanima."

"As a tiger? Did I even stand a chance?"

"You were pretty beat up, when everything was done. But you held you own, and fought better than I thought you would." He paused in thought. "I knew there was something different about you shortly after we met. I think I suspected you were the Kirin, but I didn't want to believe it."

I cocked my head, curious. "Why?"

"I'm not sure. We kept a lot of secrets. I guess I thought it was better that way."

"So…things between us were worse once you found out?"

"No." He smiled. "Things between us were better when we knew each other, when we were honest." His smile slightly faded and he went back to telling his story. "When this happened here, we had broken up and were not on good terms. And I didn't know that you were the tiger who had just saved us. So, after the Kanima left, so did I. I left you with Scott and Stiles."

I eyed him. "Are you really so desperate for me to remember you, that you want me to remember a time when you were a jerk?"

He smiled, amused with me. "That was nothing. I had other moments that were…worse."

I sighed and looked away, thinking. I finally looked back at him, armed with a new question I knew would take him off guard. "From what I hear, you haven't been the nicest guy in the world. And, I'm told I have a thing for bad boys, but the last time it bit me in the butt." That was an easy statement, followed by a hard question. "So, tell me, Derek, why did I love you?" I shrugged. "Why didn't I learn from my mistake?"

But it didn't take him off guard like I thought it would. It's almost like he was just waiting for me to ask. "I'd asked you that once," he said. "You told me that, there wasn't a thing I could do that would make you think I was Tobias, because I'm not him. You said there were two things in our relationship you were always sure of; that I wasn't Tobias, and that you loved me."

"But why did I love you?"

"I don't know. I'd ask myself that all the time. In the beginning, I had giving you every reason not to. But you did it anyway," he said. I hadn't realized how close we were standing. The dim light in the room reflected off the pool, it's rays dancing across our faces.

He was close enough that I could feel his breath on my skin, it's faint brush doing something to me. I was looking into his eyes, trying to form my next question. And then I realized how stupid this was. I don't even know him. I mean, I don't remember him, the him I loved.

All I have are three memories. In one, he's kicking my butt and we hate each other. In another, we are planning to break into a bank vault, standing side by side and looking at each other longingly. And, now, this newest one. It's just at the tip of my brain, out of my reach.

"I don't remember saving you, and I don't remember why I did it," I said.

"It's okay. It wasn't the first time you'd saved me," he paused. His eyes darted from my eyes to my mouth. "Won't be the last." Why did I fight so hard for a relationship that kept ending in heart break? And then I kept taking him back. Is that what love is? Is it repeated heart break and forgiveness? Or is it just heart break?

He pulled himself away from me, taking several steps back and letting go of my hand. But I could tell that he didn't want to. The action pained him. That much, I could see in his eyes. He was broken on the inside, and not because of whatever happened in the past, but because of what is happening now.

Something in me wanted to hug him, to help make him feel better. I shrugged it off. Why would I do that? Is that what I used to do? Is that feeling what kept me coming back to him? The thought that I could make him feel better? Was he my charity case or my lover?

Our cell phones went off simultaneously. I'm sure it's an update on the search. I pulled out my phone. It was a text from Scott. Melissa and Scott's dad found Stiles. He was in the woods, in Malia's coyote den. They're taking him to the hospital.

After reading the text, I looked at Derek. He must have gotten the same one. Neither of us said anything. The hurt was still there, on his face. I saw it when I first met him at his place, the day of the black light party. And it's only gotten deeper. He said he'd wait, but I don't think he can.

It's obvious I was more than a friend to him. Scott said that I helped Derek with his Betas, and was a part of his pack for a while. I also would live at Derek's place sometimes. It's clear this man loves me. But was lovers all we were? Or was it more than that? It seems he can't breathe without me.

"Do you regret it?" I didn't know what I was saying until it was out there.

He looked confused. "What?"

"Not coming with me, to fight Tobias?"

He sighed, debating what to say. I'm sure he's wondering how I'll take whatever it is he's going to say. "No," he finally answered. And it shocked me. "Because I trust you." Present tense. Not past. He trusts me now. Like I wasn't someone else.

"What if you had known how it'd all turn out?"

"You knew what you were doing," he spoke like he was trying to convince himself of it. Then he smiled. "This is the part where you'd say something completely cliché."

"Like what?"

His eyes were remembering something. And then he looked at me. "You'd say we were lucky. Because most people don't get to fall in love with the same person twice."

I thought, hesitated, but asked anyway. "And…had I said that, what would your response have been?"

"That that was nonsense. Because I fall in love with you again every time I look at you," he replied. And, somehow, I knew that was true.

 **(AUTHOR'S NOTE: the flashback scene is from Chapter 5: Kanima; of Guardian: Trust the Instinct (Bk 2)**


	12. Chapter 12: Nogitsune

I rode back to the hospital with Derek. Neither of us said anything. The tension in the car said it all. I think he felt he said too much, maybe did too much. It's not like he tried to kiss me. But he did try to make me remember, when I asked him to be patient with me. He probably thinks I'm mad at him. I'm not. I think. But I'm confused. This has been a crazy night.

Once we got to the hospital, Derek and Aiden then jumpstarted Stiles' Jeep. I'm sure the goal is to get it out of the parking lot. But, I couldn't help notice the tension between them. It was greater than that between me and Derek. The two men had a past, for sure. Not a good one. But Aiden's gunning for Scott's pack, and Derek doesn't like that.

The Jeep finally roared to life. Derek disconnected the cables from the Jeep as Aiden got out of it's front seat. He looked like he had something on his mind. He approached Derek and spoke. "So, do you think he was just sleepwalking, or is there something more to it?"

Derek sighed. "In this town, there's always something more."

"What if I told you I know something more?" His question intrigued me. What was he up to? I was leaning against the side of Derek's car with my arms crossed, warding off the cold as best I could. I strategically put myself near the front tire, right where the heat from the engine was coming off.

"I kind of overheard…" Aiden sighed and corrected himself. "Well, I listened in on Stiles talking to Scott." Not surprising, but okay. "How he thinks he was the one who left that message in the chemistry room. The message telling Barrow to kill Kira."

Derek didn't seem convinced. "You think Stiles, skinny, defenseless, Stiles is the Nogitsune? A powerful, dark spirit?" Well, when you put it that way.

"I'm not the only one thinking it; I'm just the only one saying it." Aiden was now if defense mode. He still stood by his words, but seemed border line embarrassed that he said it out loud.

"This thing wants to posses someone and it chooses Stiles?" Derek glanced at me. I just shrugged. I don't know anything about dark spirits. Foxes, yes. Evil foxes, no. "Why wouldn't it take someone bigger, stronger? Someone with a little more…" And then he trailed off. "Power."

I think he was thinking the same thing I was. Scott told me that Allison said that the Nogitsune feeds off of strife and chaos. Stiles would be perfect. From what I hear, he's like the heart of this whole thing. So, who better to cause the most strife than the person who holds everyone together?

 **(EMMA'S POV)**

Kit and I came home completely exhausted. Searching for Stiles was harder than it should have been. Crazy, though, how the humans are the ones who found him. But I don't care. I grabbed Kit from Derek and then we went to the station to get Charlie and then went home.

Thankfully, Parrish was very nice about the whole thing. But I hope we don't have to ask him to do that again. That would've been hard to explain had he asked why we were helping in the search and were walking around like we owned the place.

I guess Stiles was just sleepwalking. But that's some pretty elaborate sleepwalking, if I do say so myself. He's currently at the hospital. The doctors are going to try and figure out why he did what he did. More power to them. But after that, I needed time to myself.

So I got about five hours of sleep and then I went for a walk. I needed to think. Mainly about what I want to do with my life. Like, should I consider the Pride lost? What do I want to do for money and a job? I can't live with Kit forever. What about my baby? That's just five short months away. And, I don't belong here, with these people. So why am I trying to get them to like me?

I was walking on the sidewalk, on my way home. I had been gone for a couple of hours. A silver car pulled up to the curb next to me. One look at the car and I groaned. I knew who that belonged to. I stopped and faced the car, the passenger window rolling down.

"What do you want, now?" I asked.

Derek smiled. "Actually, I need your help."

I was preparing an argument in my head for whatever stupid thing he was going to say. But 'I need your help' wasn't something I had a rebuttal for. "Um…why?"

"I need to hear your side of what happened when Barrow took Kira to the power station."

"Why me?"

"Because you pay attention to things the others don't."

"You mean Scott," I corrected. Then I sighed, "I didn't even see Barrow, or where he had her tied up."

"I know," he said. "I already spoke with Kira." He gestured toward the back seat. I walked up to the car and looked in the back. Kira was sitting behind Derek.

I looked at him with a scrunched up, confused look. "Then why do you need me?!"

He sighed, looking forward, almost like he had to tell himself not to over react. Maybe he did. Then he looked at me, calm and collected. "I'm not interested in what happened to Kira. I want to know what happened to Stiles." Again, my face screwed up. What the-

I stepped back and sighed. Why on earth does he want to know about Stiles? Then it clicked. Just as the words left my train of thought. I looked back at Derek. "You're kidding me."

"I wish I was."

"You think Stiles, scrawny, pathetic, Stiles is the Nogitsune?" I asked. He nodded, with a knowing smile. "I could snap him over my knee! And not in a good way."

"I know. So could I. But I think something happened to him that day," he said. "That's why I need your help."

Well, this is stupid. My mother told me to never get into a car with a stranger. Does that rule still apply if that stranger is your best friend's boyfriend she can't remember? I guess we're going to find out.

 **(KIT'S POV)**

I sat on the couch, legs crossed. I just finished helping Charlie set up a large (very large) play house tent thing in the living room. All of the living room furniture is on the back porch. So…that's where I am. The sliding glass door is open, so I can hear him playing with himself.

He really needs someone to play with. Someone his age. And I need a babysitter. But I tried not to think about all of that. I was rereading what I (the old me) had writing in my bestiary. I can't help but wonder what the pages had written on them before. Before the pages were stripped, before I wrote over them with invisible ink.

Did I write my own tales of encounters with supernatural creatures? Had I even gotten to that point in my life where I had a bestiary worth story? How many Kirins were there before me? Did they write their stories between these covers? Did I read them all?

There are just too many questions. And not enough people who know the answers. I did, however, find a picture in the back of the book. It's a sketch. I'm not sure what it was drawn with. I don't think it was pencil. It was the picture of a rugged looking man. Middle aged, scruffy face, short hair but still kind of long.

He looked like the military type. Like he'd seen it all and nothing could faze him, because it all already had. I sighed, wishing I had the confidence that the man showed in the sketch. On the back was written "Romulus – 1834." That was a long time ago.

Who was he? Did I know him, or was he just another Kirin? Maybe he wasn't a Kirin at all. Maybe he was someone a Kirin knew, someone a Kirin held dear. I don't know how being a Kirin works. Maybe he means nothing. Maybe he's just a guy. A normal guy who did nothing.

I tucked the photo away a while ago. My eyes have been set on the part where I talk about my past life. The one where I had children. Does that mean I could have great-great-great-great grandkids? Is there someone out there, right now, who's a descendent of mine?

Or did they all die out? Am I the last one? I had toyed with the idea of looking up the names listed, the ones I went by. Maybe I could learn something. Like…if I have any relatives. I know it's stupid. But, maybe…oh, whatever. The kids were young when I last saw them. No one would be able to tell me anything.

And I don't have any leads to go on. But something tells me, I never told Derek. Everyone says that I kept secrets. Derek and I even kept things from each other and it was fine. Maybe this was one of those things from my past that I wasn't proud of and therefore didn't tell anyone. How many secrets did I have?

My phone buzzed across the coffee table. I picked it up, setting the book down. It was Emma. I answered it. "Yeah?"

"You busy?" she asked.

"Why?"

"Because…" she sighed. "We think Stiles is the Nogitsune."

"What? Who's 'we'?"

"Derek and I. But Aiden started it."

Yeah, I heard what Aiden said. "You and Derek? Where are you?"

"The hospital. Derek's explaining to Scott what I'm about to tell you."

I'm confused. "I thought you were going for a walk…?"

"Yeah, I did. It's a long story. Just listen," she said. "Kira's fox fire helped jumpstart the dark spirit inside of Stiles." I went quiet, thinking, processing. "Do you know what fox fire is?"

"The power created when foxes rub their tails," I spoke off of memory from what Emma's mom told me. "When did she use fox fire around Stiles?"

"Yeah…remember those two days you were gone, and you came back and asked what happened while you were gone? Well, that's what happened. Some guy escaped from prison and was after werewolves. Someone left a coded message on the chalk board to kill Kira, so the guy took her to the power station where she then fried the whole city. With fox fire. We didn't realize that Stiles was hit by it."

"How do you know he was?"

"Because his bat was magnetized."

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "And you know all this because you helped them stop the guy?"

"Yes. They were practically begging."

"You don't have to justify it to me. So what now? What do we do with this information?"

"Try to get the dark spirit out of Stiles? I don't know. We're working on it."

"'We'? You and Derek?"

She sighed. "Uh, jealous?"

I sat up quickly. "What? Of course not. Why would I be jealous?" There was silence on the other end. "But, thank you for telling me."

"Yep. And we were wondering if you'd like to join the party down here. Isaac and Allison are on their way. Stiles is getting an MRI. I guess they're testing to see if he had the same disease his mom died of."

"Does that even matter, since he's got a dark spirit in him?"

"I don't know."

"Alright. Let me find someone to watch Charlie." I ended the call and then called Aaron. I don't know where he is, but he's the only one who came to mind when I thought 'who's not currently busy dealing with evil Stiles?' Aaron picked up on the third ring.

"Yo!" he said.

"Hi, um, where are you?"

"Where do you need me?"

I smiled. "I was just looking for someone to watch Charlie, but if you're busy or too far away-"

"No, I got it. For you, girl, I'm only one call away."

"Are you ever serious?"

"Probably not. When do you need me?"

"As soon as possible."

"Ah. ASAP. I'm on it. Be there in ten." He then hung up the phone. Actually he was here in thirty, but who's counting. He was still the only one I could call. I then got in the truck and drove to the hospital. Since when did Emma become so involved with everyone?

I thought that she just wanted to hurry up and go home. Now she's helping save people and helping Derek find out who the Nogitsune is. And, no, I'm not jealous. I have no reason to be. If anything, I might be a bit bummed that no one included me sooner.

They probably didn't because everyone's afraid that I'll break. Like, I'm not some fragile egg. You don't have to tip toe around me. But since I'm not their Kit and I'm not my version of me, then I guess I haven't given them many options. They don't know how to act around me, just like I don't know how to act around them.

Night fell on the town shortly before I arrived at the hospital. I parked near the front, next to Derek's car. I was surprised to see Kira standing outside of his car. She looked like she was waiting for something. I got out of the truck and walked up to her. She seemed to shrink away, not too sure of anything. Or who to trust.

"Hey," I said. She didn't say anything. "I don't believe we've formally met," I held out my hand. "I'm Kit."

She shook my hand hesitantly. "Kit? Is that short for something?"

"That's everyone's favorite question." I smiled, trying to lighten the mood. "Yeah. My name's Beckett, but I'm usually called Kit."

"Well, which do you prefer?"

I paused. "Huh," I thought. "I think you're the first to ask that." But before I could answer her, we were interrupted. There was a loud sound like an explosion coming from the roof of the hospital, with sparks and flashes of light included. A cable fell from the roof, sparking the whole way.

Kira and I ducked to miss it. How did that happen? Who cut the cable? Kira backed away, the live wire getting between us. An ambulance drove right through it, crashing into a fire hydrant before coming to a stop on the lawn. The broken hydrant was now gushing water. Water that the cable was dancing in.

The pool quickly spread, doubling by the second. The ambulance driver stepped out of his truck and down into the pool of electrified water. I'm sure you can guess what happened next. Allison's car pulled up, she and Isaac getting out of the car as Kira started shouting for people to get back.

Great idea. But no one was listening. Even Allison. She was inches from the puddle, walking toward it. Isaac stepped in it by pushing her away. She was safe but now Isaac was lying in the puddle of electricity filled water. Not good for a werewolf. Really not good. Not good for me either, actually.

I backed up with the pool as it grew. More people were stepping in it, cars were driving through it. Kira jumped over the hood of a car to avoid getting hit by it, and in the process she landed in the pool of water. But she stood. It didn't electrocute her like the others.

I looked from her to the wire and the puddle. "Kira," I hollered to get her attention. She seems surprised that the electricity didn't do anything to her. She looked up at me. I glanced to the side and saw Scott, Emma, and Derek. They had come out of the hospital and stopped just before the water.

Derek had an arm in front of Emma as if protectively, to stop her from going any further. For a split second our eyes met, but I looked away. I stopped thinking about them and looked back at Kira. "You need to grab the cable." She shook her head, like I was being stupid. "Trust me, okay? Grab it."

And she did. Then her instincts took over. She put her other hand on the frayed end of the cable. And then her eyes glowed.


	13. Chapter 13: Something's Not Right

I groaned as I rolled over. Getting out of bed seems like the worst idea in the world. I've been awake for the last twenty four hours, only getting about five hours of sleep in the past forty eight. Now I'm just lying here, thinking about the current mess we are in. And about what happened at the hospital.

Kira fixed our live wire problem. But Isaac was in pretty bad shape after being in that electrified water for so long. He's still in the hospital, and he's not getting any better. And according to Scott and Derek, Stiles is the one who cut the cable on the roof of the hospital. Or, the dark spirit. The Nogitsune inside of him did it. I don't think Stiles would ever hurt anyone on purpose. Of course I don't know him well, but still. He's not the type.

But that's not even the thing I'm thinking about. After we got Isaac into the hospital and they took him back, Scott, Derek, and Emma all asked me how I knew that would work. How I knew that Kira would be able to absorb the electricity from the cable that broke off of the roof.

My answer was I don't know. Because I didn't. I felt weird about the whole thing, so I walked away. I waited in the truck for Emma, but my ears were still inside, on their conversation. That's how I knew how bad Isaac was and that Stiles was behind it all. I don't like to eavesdrop. But, they were talking about me.

"I don't know how she knew that," Emma said. "That Kira could do that."

"She never asked what a Kitsune was," Derek said, sounding like he was saying his train of thought. "Or a Nogitsune. Could she have learned that in your Pride?"

"I don't think so. We had a Kitsune once, but he wasn't like Kira."

Then Scott chimed in. "Maybe she's remembering. If neither of you told her, then maybe it's because she was the Kirin."

No one said much after that. At least, nothing worth listening in on. My mind wondered from that and to me and Derek at the pool. How he led me there with the intention of trying to make me remember. Or…guilt me into remembering? I don't know what that was.

But I asked him to wait for me to be ready, to let me figure it out. And he didn't do it. But something in me expected that. Maybe it's just because I know how much he wants 'Old Kit' back. In a way, I want her back, too. I know that other life of mine wasn't easy.

She made it look easy. Like she had it all figured out. And I don't. Far from it. I huffed, staring at the ceiling. I need to do something besides lay here and waste my life away. But I've tried looking for Stiles. In fact, the whole town is looking for Stiles.

I sit up and throw the covers off, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed. I was still wearing the same outfit as I was yesterday. I sighed and stood. A wave of fatigue hit me. I shook my head and blinked a few times. There's no way my mind will let me sleep, so I might as well make myself useful.

I went to my drawers and pulled out a new pair of jeans and a shirt. I changed and then tossed my old clothes in the hamper by the door. My eyes landed on the ground under my dresser. On the black shirt wadded up on the ground. I huffed to myself, trying to make myself ignore it.

But it was no use. I was across the room and the shirt was in my hands before I knew what I was doing. I fingered the fabric, thinking with a numb mind. I brought it close to me and inhaled, letting the scent linger in my nose. I now know that scent without a shadow of doubt.

Yes, the shirt smells like me. But there was that other scent. I recognized it when I first saw him, but I didn't really want to put two and two together. But at the school, riding in the car with him, I was able to really lock onto his scent. I scoffed at myself.

Of course Derek's shirt would be in my house, in my room. It's clear that he was madly in love with me. But I still don't know if I was, am. Why'd I say am? I'm not in love with Derek. How could I be? I don't know anything about him. Okay, that might be a stretch.

I know everything that everyone has told me, but I don't know the real Derek. Not like Old Kit. But it seems Derek didn't even know Old Kit. So maybe I never really knew him very well. Is that possible? Probably not. I sound like I was one of those people who knows more than they'll ever lead on. Maybe that was the case with Derek.

I tossed the shirt were I found it and then left my room. I walked out to the living room and found it empty. I tilted my head, listening. There were no other heart beats in the house. I was alone. Where'd Emma and Charlie go? Great. This isn't one of those vision things, is it? I hope not.

I walked into the kitchen, seeing a note on the fridge. I then read it out loud, "Took Charlie out for a walk. Figured we could both use the fresh air. – E" I sighed. My phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out and opened the text from Scott: _Get to the cross country trail that leads to the Tate car! We think Stiles planned something else._

What?! How do they know that? I sighed. I replied, telling him I was on my way and then I grabbed my jacket. I stepped outside and stopped. "You've got to be kidding me." The truck, the big, hard to miss yellow one, was gone. Emma must have it. But I thought she said she and Charlie were going for a walk?

Oh, well. I shook the thought from my head, promising to come back to it later. Instead, I started running. And when it didn't feel fast enough, I kicked it into overdrive. It was a total of about twenty minutes from when I left my house until I found them.

Not far from the trail was a group of teenagers. All wearing track clothes. And now I understand what the problem was. But now we have a new one. Scott, Aiden, and Stiles we on the ground huddled around someone. When I got closer I realized that it was their coach. He had an arrow in his gut.

"What happened?" I asked. They all looked at me, just now noticing me. Stiles' hands were covered in blood and Scott had his hands around the wound on the coach's gut. Scott looked relived to see me. But I wasn't sure about Stiles. At first I thought that he was glad to see me. But there was something else.

"Hey," Aiden said, "I think I just heard an ambulance."

"And my dad," Stiles sighed. What is going on? I thought Stiles was bad now. He can go back and forth? One second he's good and then the next he's not? Scott told me how this got started while the EMTs dealt with the coach. He said that Stiles found them at the high school.

He came to them. Not the other way around. Stiles knows that he's the one who caused the accident at the hospital two days ago. And based off of a map they found in a duffle bag Stiles had, that's how they knew that Stiles did something to the trail. Now we know that it was an arrow.

But Stiles claims that he can't remember anything, can't remember what he did while he was the Nogitsune. Convenient, if you ask me. "So what do we do now?" I asked Scott. He and I were standing by Stiles' Jeep. Ethan was riffling through it's trunk.

I followed Scott's gaze. He was watching as Stiles and his dad hugged. I'm sure it's a relief to the Sheriff to have his son back. But he's not out of the woods yet. He's still possessed by a Nogitsune. And that's not something you want to mess with. Wait. How do I know that?

"I don't know," Scott finally said, and I looked at him.

"Guys," Ethan said. "You better look at this." Scott and I walked over to him. He had Stiles' duffle bag in front of him. Scott picked up a roll of wrapping paper.

"This is the same wrapping paper we used for Coach's present," Scott said.

"Wasn't that William Barrow's thing?" Ethan asked. "A bomb made from nails and bolts all wrapped in a birthday present? Where did it go off?" I looked down at the bag. It was filled with a bunch of things. A few things being nails, a saw, some cable, blue prints. What was he up to?

Scott finally replied. "On a school bus." Well, that's not good. Ethan sat the bag back in the trunk has Scott walked away, probably to go tell Stiles and the Sheriff. A bomb is not something to take lightly. I was about to follow, but something caught my eye.

Ethan reached up to close the trunk. I put my hand on his wrist. "Wait." I stepped forward and opened the duffle bag wider, riffling through it.

"What is it?"

I moved a few tools aside and some paper, and then I found it. The thing that stopped me. My hand squeezed the plush toy as I pulled it out of the bag, and my breath caught in my throat. "Kit?" I looked it over. It was Charlie's toy. His stuffed animal, the one he never leaves behind.

My mind went to the note on the fridge, how they were both gone when I got up. And I don't remember hearing them leave. I turned on my heel and headed for Stiles. I blew past Scott and the Sheriff, grabbing a fist full of Stiles' shirt and slamming him into the side of the Sheriff's SUV.

"Where is he?" I growled, ignoring both of Scott's and the Sheriff's reactions to what I was doing.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Stiles said.

"Let him go," the Sheriff said. He reached for me and I pushed him, causing him to stumble back a few steps.

"Kit!" Scott said. "What's going on?" My eyes didn't leave Stiles. It wasn't him. He doesn't have a soul; it doesn't take an expert to know that. And he knows it, too.

I held up the toy. "This is Charlie's. He doesn't go anywhere without it. When I got up, both he and Emma were gone. And there was a pathetic note on my fridge, signed with the letter E. Something Emma would never do."

"What did the note say?" Stiles asked, trying to sound concerned. He was even acting the part.

"You know what it said."

"Kit, just-" Scott trailed off. "Look, we'll figure it out. But you need to talk to us."

I sighed through my nose. "It said that they were going for a walk, that she thought they could use the fresh air. But the truck was gone."

"I don't know where they are. Okay?" Stiles said. "But I'm going to help you find them." I pressed into him harder, my eyes glowing green.

"Let. Him. Go." The sound of a bullet sliding into the chamber filled my eyes. I glanced to my right and saw the Sheriff pointing his gun at me. "Now."

"Kit," Scott spoke gingerly. "If Stiles really did do something to Charlie and Emma, we'll find them. Okay?" I looked at him. "But you need to trust us." I sighed. They'd never believe me. Even if I did say that that's not Stiles, that it's the Nogitsune. I don't even know how I know that.

I let Stiles go and I walked away, toy in hand. I ignored their calls, trying to get me to stop and come back. I'm not working with Stiles. Not when he's like that. I need to find out what happened. I need to find them.

 **(EMMA'S POV)**

"What was so urgent?" I asked. "Is everything okay?"

Joy looked like she was in shock. We were at our usual meeting place in the woods. She had texted me, asking me to meet her. "Yeah…" she swallowed it was like someone had stolen her voice. "More than okay."

"Okay, you're starting to freak me out."

"They're all okay. The rest of the Pride."

"What do you mean?" I crossed my arms.

"Chase and all of his pack are gone."

"Gone? Like dead?"

"Some of them," her eyes were reliving something. "But we're free, Em. What did you do?"

"What do you mean? I didn't do anything."

"You must have done something."

"Okay, you're confusing me. What exactly happened?"

"We were living our new terrible lives and then, out of nowhere, werewolves whom I've never seen before showed up and started taking them out, one-by-one," she said. "There were two girls and four guys."

"You're telling me that six werewolves killed them? The whole pack?"

"Like I said, some of them died."

"What about Chase, their Alpha?"

"Dead. One of the women killed him."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "How-" I stopped myself.

"We're free, Emma. I don't care about the how."

"Did you speak to any of these people? Who were they? How do we know they won't come back?"

"Calm down," she said. "One of the boys, a young one, he told me that we didn't have anything to worry about any more. He said we were free and that that other pack would never bother us again."

"And you believe him?"

"Yes. You didn't see them, Emma. They were skilled in this, most likely born werewolves. They had a plan, they knew exactly how many of them there were and where they'd be. Someone took the time to plan it."

"But you don't know who they were?"

She shook her head. "Someone heard one of the boys call one of the girls Kassie, the girl who killed Chase." She shrugged. "But that's all I have."

I thought for a minute. "Would you recognize them if you saw them again?"

"I don't know. Maybe. Why?"

 **(KIT'S POV)**

I searched the house, high and low. Leaving no pillow unturned. I had swiped the hospital blue prints from Stiles' duffle bag before I left. I compared the hand writing on it to the hand writing of the note on my fridge. They match. Stiles wrote the note.

I've tried calling Emma but she won't answer. I also tried Derek to see if maybe she as with him. But he didn't answer, either. It didn't concern me too much that he didn't answer just since we haven't spoken since the last we saw each other, at the hospital.

"Okay," I began to talk to myself. Sometimes it's easier for me to work out a problem if I say it out loud. "There's no evidence that anyone was here. But, clearly, Stiles was here." I paced in the living room. I stopped and sighed. "What would Emma say to do?"

I rubbed my forehead, thinking. "She'd tell me to use my senses." So I paused and I listened as hard as I could. Nothing. So I started sniffing. I walked through the house trying to find a scent that was out of place. But all I smelled was Emma, Charlie, and myself.

I ended up in my room. I sighed and looked around. What next? Feeling. What do I feel? That's what she'd ask me next. Uh…alone. I know that's not the right kind of feeling, but I think I get the point. I walked to my bed and plopped down. A waft of scents came up out of the bed spread and hit me.

I smelled myself, my shampoo, the laundry detergent. I smelled Charlie, since he usually sleeps with me. Wait. Why wasn't he sleeping with me? Why didn't I find that odd when I woke up? But there was something else mixed in with the scents that I know all too well: emotions.

Emotions that were not mine. Stress, anxiety. It's the same combo I smelled on the hospital roof with Derek and Scott when we were looking for Stiles. He was here, in my room. And he was trying not to take Charlie. Just like how he was trying not to cut that cable at the hospital, but did anyway.

Okay, so he took Charlie from the bed while we were sleeping. But how did I not know he was here? I haven't really slept that well lately. Or have I? I started sniffing harder. I was on to something now. I need to know how he got past me. He took Charlie right out of my arms while I slept and I didn't wake up!

I stood and attacked the bed, ripping off the quilt, tossing the pillows. I was doing everything possible to fluff any and all smells. It was more of the same, but nothing new. I stepped back. There has to be something. I thought to what I last remember.

Last night, I hung out with Charlie, Emma went to bed earlier. Charlie and I ate and then we went to bed. But… When I woke up, I was wearing outside clothes. Not PJ's. I always go to bed in PJ's. I thought that was because I came home from looking for Stiles and collapsed on the bed. But that's not what happened. I rubbed my temples, getting more frustrated by the second. Why can't I think? Something's not right.

I froze. Something's not right. "Something's not right," I had to say it to make myself believe it. Maybe I knew something wasn't right last night. Maybe I never got the chance to change into my PJ's and go to bed. Maybe… I left the room and went to the living room.

I tried to retrace my steps. I got back from looking for Stiles. So I started at the front door. Then I did everything like I think I did last night. I went to the island chairs in the kitchen and sat down the car keys (which I don't have but I pretended) and took off my coat and draped it over a chair.

Then, I'd say hi to Charlie. Emma would usually come out from the hall way. I remember her telling me she was glad I was home because she was going to bed. She's been really tired, between looking for Stiles and being pregnant. And then she walked down the hall and that was the last I saw her.

Then I made dinner. Charlie and I ate and then I cleaned up the dishes while he played. I now stood in front of the sink, staring down in it. The dishes were still in the sink. I always do the dishes before bed. It's like one of my pet peeves. It has to be done before I can sleep.

So I didn't sleep. Not willingly, anyway. The hair on the back of my neck stood up. I looked around the room, like someone might be watching me. But I was alone. But maybe I wasn't last night. I then walked down the hall slowly. I thought someone was in the house.

I entered my room, the door creaking open. I walked three feet in the door. And then that's when it happened. I sniffed the air. I turned and looked at the hamper next to the door. I walked up to it, picking it up and dumping it on the bed. I dug through it's contents.

And I found it. The source of the smell. And then last night all came back to me. I picked up a white wash cloth out of the pile. I held it up by it's end and examined it. A splotch of purple stained the middle of the rag. Wolf's bane. I remember, last night, how I walked into my bedroom and someone came up behind me.

They put this towel over my mouth and all it took was one panicked sniff. My eyes flashed green as my knees buckled. I was going down and I couldn't stop it. I collapsed to the ground, the person letting me go. The room faded in and out as I lost consciousness.

But I remember rolling over and seeing Stiles above me, right before the room went black. He planned this all to a T. He wanted Scott to call me to help them. He put the toy in the bag so I'd see it and lose my mind. He showed me just enough of the Nogitsune so I wouldn't drop it but that the others wouldn't see.

He played me from the start. I fell right into it. So what he doing now? And where are Charlie and Emma? My phone buzzed in my pocket. I dropped the rag and pulled it out. It was a text from Scott: _At school with bomb on bus. Sheriff says your truck at station._

What? What is it doing there? I walked out of the room making a beeline for the door. I got to the station as fast as I could. It seemed to take me forever, but I made it. Sure enough, the truck sat out front parked in a handicap spot. I walked to it, checked in the bed and looked through the window into the cab.

It looked clean. Then why take it? I walked into the station. But I didn't get far. Not too far from the door, just outside the Sheriff's office, sat Derek and Chris Argent. Both handcuffed to the bench. I stopped about a foot from them when they finally noticed me.

I looked at Derek. "Now I know why you weren't picking up."

He suddenly looked concerned. Probably because I'm wearing every emotion I'm feeling on my face right now. "What's wrong?"

I sighed. "I don't know where to begin." I ran a hand through my hair. "Why are you even here? Is this because of Stiles?"

That got Chris' attention. "Why do you say that?"

"Because he's back and making our lives Hell."

"What do you mean?" Derek asked. "What happened?"

Okay. I just need to bite the bullet off. "Stiles broke into my house last night and used some kind of wolfs bane on me. I woke up with no memory of it, I thought I was out all night looking for Stiles."

"Why would Stiles break into your house?"

"Because he took Charlie. And I can't find Emma, either." As soon as the words left my mouth, Derek's face turned to stone. He was clearly holding back some massive anger. "I can't find either of them. And Scott and everyone is too abscessed with Stiles and what he's done next to help me. The truck was missing, too. I only came because the Sheriff said it was here."

Just then, a deputy walked up to me. "Can I help you, Miss?"

"Yeah," I turned to face him. "The yellow truck in the handicap? That's mine. I came to get it."

He walked over to a desk. "Okay. I'll just need your name-"

"I'll take it from here." I recognized his voice before I saw him. Agent McCall walked up to me. The deputy long gone, now. I sighed. I don't want to deal with him right now. "Detective Grant," he slid his hands in his pants pockets as he glanced around the room ever so casually.

"What do you want, McCall?" When I heard my voice, all I could think was that it wasn't mine. It sounded different. Confident, maybe? I crossed my arms as I stared him down. "I just came for my truck."

He glanced at Derek and Chris before looking at me. "Things are never that simple with you." I nodded, somehow knowing exactly what he was talking about. "You're not going anywhere until I get the story behind that truck."

"Uh…" I faked a chuckle. "First of all, you have no grounds to keep me here. Second, there's no law against parking you car outside of a sheriff's station. Granted, it's in a handicap, so I will accept whatever fines that entails, but besides that we're done here."

He scoffed in that way that makes me want to slap him. And I almost did. Why did I just almost slap an FBI agent? "You're wrong about one thing; I do have grounds to keep you here."

"What are they?"

"Child endangerment."

"Uh, what now?"

"A deputy found a young boy, we've ID'd as Charlie Nolan, inside the cab of that pick up."

"His he okay?"

"He's fine," he nodded. "But, I wasn't surprised to see you listed as his new legal guardian." I clenched my teeth. Why do I hate this man so much? "But I never did peg you as the adopting type. His mother's deceased, father unknown. Besides you and Keller, seems that he doesn't have anyone. So what's he to you?"

"He's my sister's son," I replied.

His eyes dropped. "Sorry for your loss. Both of them. News of Johnston spread fast. He was a good cop." He's talking about Ben. My father, whom everyone thinks is my uncle. He's also Blair's father, Charlie's grandfather. I just simply nodded, not sure what to say. "But I still can't let this go."

"Really? Every time. Why do you have to do this?"

"Do what?"

"You hunt down the people you're jealous of and then make their lives a living Hell. That's why you're trying to get Stilinski impeached," I said. But he was shaking his head, looking away from me. I knew I had him. "Same thing happened in Washington." He quickly looked at me. "With that 'good cop' you mentioned."

Now he was uncomfortable, squirming. I wanted to smile, but forced myself no to. "Don't give me that BS. I was there, remember?"

"What do you want?"

"I'll start with my kid, then my truck, and for you to go back to wherever it is low life agents go." I put my hands on my hips. "Let's face it; you've always had a face for a milk carton, not a badge." My features remained set. But on the inside I was freaking out. What was that?

"Okay." That was all he said before turning around and walking away. I watched him disappear into a back room. A few seconds later he came back, carrying Charlie. A wave of relief washed over me at the sight of him. McCall walked up to me and handed me Charlie.

I held him close to me, almost like I was afraid someone would take him from me. McCall turned to walk away and then stopped. "Just…don't let this happen again." And then he was gone. I looked at the desk beside me with the bewildered deputy behind it.

I held out my hand. "Keys." He quickly fumbled for his desk drawer. He pulled the keys out of the drawer and quickly handed them to me. "Thank you." I then returned my attention to Derek and Chris. Both of which looked like they were going to need a new pair of shorts. "What?"

"You remembered him," Chris said.

"Yeah," I sighed. "Don't ask how. It was like I was a different person. I'm not sure what came over me." I sat Charlie down, the boy clinging to my leg. "So, why are you two here?" They both looked speechless. I sighed. "Let me guess; that reminded you of the old Kit."

"Actually," Chris glanced at Derek. "We never saw that Kit."

"Oh. Well, then, more reason to move on. So. How did you get here?"

"Stiles is framing us for murder."

"Great." My hand absentmindedly ran through Charlie's hair. I didn't realize how attached I'd grown to this boy until I didn't have him. I looked back at Derek and Chris, at the way they looked at each other. They clearly are not on the same sighed. I guess that probably has something to do with Chris' sister killing all of Derek's family. But that's just a guess.

"Come on, you two," I said. "Don't tell me I have to worry about you two killing each other behind bars. As long as I'm alive, you two are on the same side." They both looked at me weird again. I sighed. "What? I've said that before. Haven't I?"

"Yeah," Derek said. "Part of it."

I nodded. "Okay. Well. I'll be back, but I need to find Emma." I picked up Charlie. And then the whole room erupted. Deputies were running around everywhere. What is going on? A deputy ran up to Chris and unlocked his handcuff before running away. Chris asked him what was going on and the boy just stared at him with a scared look on his face.

Something's not right. How many times do I have to say it? I looked down at Derek. He was twisted around, looking into the Sheriff's office. Two packages sat on the desk. I tilted my head. Oh no. I locked eyes with Derek right before he yelled to get down. And then everything literally blew up.


	14. Chapter 14: Lost in Thought

My ears were ringing, but I heard muffled voices. Cries and screams. The distant static of a radio. I was crouched in the corner, using my body to shield Charlie. What happened was starting to scream it's way into my thoughts. There was a bomb in the Sheriff's office. It went off.

I remember seeing Derek tackle Chris as I turned and slammed into the corner the very second the bomb went off. I sat back, feeling debris fall off my shoulders and down my back. I plopped down on my butt on the ground. I pulled Charlie away from me and examined him.

He wasn't crying, he wasn't screaming. He was looking around the room with wild eyes. But he was fine. "Charlie," I said and he looked at me. "It's okay. You're fine." I ran my hand reassuringly down the back of his head. I got him to his feet and then made to stand.

"Kit?" it was Chris' voice.

"We're okay," I called back. I couldn't see him. Standing proved harder than I thought. My hand flew to my side as I stood, to feel the sharp pain that now plagued me. There was something in me. I got a grip on it and pulled it out, biting back a scream. It was a piece of wood. I tossed it to the side.

I took Charlie's hand and then turned around. Chris stood. "Derek." Derek was standing, but he was wobbling. Standing behind him I was able to see why. His back was full of glass shards. "Derek." Chris quickly caught him before he fell.

"I'm okay," Derek's words were barely audible. But he was not okay. "I'm okay."

"You saved my life," Chris told him. I walked up to them, putting a hand on Derek's arm. He was clearly in a lot of pain. He looked at me through barely open eyes.

"Charlie," he said.

"He's fine." My answer brought him visible relief.

"Kit," Chris said. "You're bleeding."

"I'll heal."

"You need to leave, get Charlie out of here."

But something in me wanted to stay. I didn't want to leave. I knew Chris was right. I need to go heal and get Charlie somewhere safe. But where is safe? Stiles took Charlie from my home. Who's to say he won't do it again? I looked at Chris. He seemed to see the hesitation on my face.

But it was Derek who spoke. "Go." I looked at him, slightly shocked. I can still be useful here. "Get Charlie home. Find Emma." I had almost forgotten about her. Six words I'll never say out loud. He looked me in the eyes. "Beckett, go." I nodded and I left.

Charlie and I went out to the truck. I got him in and then climbed in myself. But something was…weird. We were half way home when I realized what it was. It was another vision coming on. No, not now. Something must've triggered it. I drove faster, trying to get home before it took over.

I parked crooked in the driveway, and almost fell out of the truck. My head was growing fuzzy, my eyes were glowing. I got Charlie out of the truck and got to the house as fast as I could. I opened the door and fell inside, belly first. That did not feel good.

"Kit!" Hands were on me, rolling me over. I saw Emma's face but couldn't hear her words. Reality was fading out. I was losing my grip. But at least I knew that Charlie was safe. Emma's face vanished from site and I was no longer on the ground.

I was standing in a hallway. Somehow I knew it was the sheriff's station. I saw another me, her hand on a door knob as a floor board creaked. I froze, my head snapping up to see who caused it. All I saw was a shadow from a hallway a few feet away. But She knew who it was.

Quietly, and quickly, the other me opened the door and ran inside, shutting it just the same. I had followed her into the room. She turned around and saw what I saw; Stiles and Derek lying on the floor next to each other. Stiles looked extremely relieved. "Oh, thank goodness!"

The other me crossed the room. "Kanima got you?" I asked them both as I knelt down next to Derek. He clearly wasn't happy with his current situation. Kanima? Why did I come back here, to this?

"No, we're just lying here cause we want to," Stiles said sarcastically. The other me didn't reply to Stiles, but instead reached down and took Derek's hand. I closed my eyes and sighed, trying to relax. When I opened my eyes they glowed yellow.

"Oh, my-" Stiles said. I walked closer to the other me. She's the Kirin. What is she doing? She cocked her head to the side, like she was focusing on something. Suddenly her veins glowed the same yellow as her eyes. The color went down her arm and into Derek.

Then, massive gunfire filled the air, along with the breaking and shattering noises of the bullets ripping through things. I let go of Derek, my eyes turning back to normal. "Argent," I said and Derek nodded. He made to stand and the other me grabbed his arm to help him as Scott ran into the room.

"Sara?!" he said. Why is he still calling me that? Was this really that long ago?

"Get Stiles out of here," I told him as I steadied Derek. Then I looked at Derek. "You good?" It was two words, but they clearly meant more than that.

He nodded. "Thanks."

I saw Scott with Stiles draped over his arm. He was pretty much dragging him. After they'd left the room, another teenager appeared in the doorway. He was looking in the direction they had gone, his body half covered in scales. I'm going to assume that's the Kanima, Jackson. He only paused for a moment before he turned and followed Scott and Stiles.

"Go," Derek said. I looked back at the other me and Derek.

"What?"

"Leave me. Go after Jackson," he said. Why does this feel like déjà vu? Because he just told me this. That's what brought this on. It was Derek. Derek made me remember. The other me sighed and then walked over to a chair and sat Derek down. She paused and looked at him with questioning eyes.

The same way I looked at Derek today, I was looking at him then. Once again, we were at the sheriff's station and he was hurt somehow and he told me to go, to leave him. That's why I'm remembering this. Derek gave the other me a light shove. "Beckett, go."

 **(EMMA'S POV)**

"Did you have any trouble with Ikeda?" Chris Argent's voice blared through the phone's speaker. I was at the vet clinic with Scott and Allison, Deaton behind the desk in front of us. I had come to talk to Deaton. But I happened to show up at the same time as Scott and Allison.

"Only minor," Deaton replied. "The white wolf was exactly where you said it would be. But, we have two problems now. First, the lichen is not a cure. It'll wear off in a matter of days." Scott told me that Deaton made some kind of potion that is keeping the Nogitsune at bay inside of Stiles.

Then he informed me that Stiles has checked himself into a mental institution. It's supposed to be a 72 hour thing, but it still sounds stupid. I guess if the serum wears off and Stiles decides to kill people it's better to have him in a place where, whoever he kills, their loss won't affect society too incredible bad.

"But while it does, the Oni won't go after Stiles, right?" Chris asked.

"I hope. Eichen House has an unusual history. It might not be all that safe for the Oni there as well."

"What's the second problem?"

"I checked with your contacts in Japan. The Yakuza boss you saw killed by the Oni never found the scroll," Deaton said.

"What scroll?" Scott asked.

"A Shugendo Scroll. The Shugendo were the ascetic mystics of Japan."

Then Chris spoke. "The scroll had information on how to exorcise a Nogitsune."

"So we need to find that scroll," Scott said.

Deaton nodded. "Exactly. And I did get a name of the man who last purchased it. Kincaid."

"He was with Katashi," Allison said. The man who Stiles framed Derek and Chris for killing. I found out that juicy bit, too. "He's the guy who met with Isaac to buy the gun." I'm only understanding half of what they're saying.

"Sounds like Katashi wanted the scroll for himself."

"But Stilinski already told me nothing like it was found among his things," Chris said. "And a paranoid like Katashi would keep it close. Probably on him at all times."

"What does a Shugendo Scroll look like?" Allison asked. Deaton then stood and walked over to a drawer. A second later he was pulling a scroll out of it.

He gave it to Allison. "Something like this."

She looked it over. "Do these come in different sizes?"

"Any size."

"Then I think I know where it might be."

"Great," I said. Everyone looked at me. Probably because I haven't said a word. "But we have a third problem. And it's the reason why I came."

Scott looked worried. "What is it?"

"It's Kit," I said in an exhale. "Something's wrong with her."

"What do you mean?"

"Okay, calm down." I held up my hands to ward off the coming comments about why I didn't say something sooner.

"Emma," Deaton said and I looked at him. "What happened?"

"And," Scott looked at me again. "Come to think of it, where were you? She thought you were missing."

"That's another story for another day," I said. "But I wish I would've been here." That last part was for Scott's benefit. But I meant it. "I got back late, last night. Just a little while before she came home after what had happened at the police station. I was standing in the living room when the front door opened. Kit literally fell through the door. I quickly ran to her and saw that she was bleeding, and I thought that was the problem, that she just needed to heal. But I was wrong.

"Her eyes started glowing and she wasn't responding to anything I was saying. She wasn't even responding to pain." I sighed. "So I figured she was having another flashback. Something probably triggered it. I was going to wait it out. But it never stopped."

"What do you mean?" Deaton asked.

"She's still in the flashback as we speak. It's been almost twenty four hours."

"Is she healing?" Chris asked.

"She wasn't at first. But I took some of her pain and that seemed to jump start things." I was more frustrated than I thought. I looked at Deaton. "This is the part where you fix this."

"Matters of the mind," Deaton began, "are much more complicated-"

"Than removing a Nogitsune from a 17 year old boy?" I huffed. "I'm open to suggestions, here."

He seemed to be deep in thought. So I tried to keep my mouth shut and let him come up with a way to fix her. "We need to figure out what triggered her flashback in the first place. You said she was at the station when the bomb went off?" That last part seemed more directed toward Chris.

He promptly answered. "Yeah, she and Charlie. After the bomb went off, we all got to our feet. Besides the wound to her side she seemed fine."

"Did you talk to her?" I asked him. "It seems all her flashbacks are triggered by words."

"I asked if she was okay and told her to go home." There was a pause. "Derek talked to her."

"Was he the last person to talk to her?" Deaton asked.

"I think so," Chris said.

"Do you remember what he said?"

"He told her to take Charlie home and to find Emma. But she didn't seem like she wanted to go."

"Then why did she?" I asked. There was another pause.

"He looked at her and said 'Beckett, go'. She left right after that, without another word."

"Then that must be it," Deaton said. "What do we know about Kit's other flashbacks?" Everyone looked at me. I sighed.

"Well, Blair's grave took her back to when Blair died," I thought aloud. "Scott's roar took her to when she first ever heard him roar. But that same time she had another vision. This one was of her and Aaron in their room talking about Peter and Lydia. She told me she had another one at the black light party."

"She did?" Scott asked. Both him and Allison unaware of this.

"Yeah. She said that, in it, you guys were at Derek's planning to break into a vault."

"When we were going to rescue Boyd and Erica," Scott said. "But we ended up finding Boyd, Cora, and Blair."

Deaton looked at me. "What brought that one on?"

"She said that she was trying to picture what his loft looked like without the lights and the music," I said.

"She was trying to remember," Chris said, and I almost forgot about him.

I nodded. "Another time, she went to the warehouse where you guys have her car. She got in the front seat of it. Touching the wheel caused her to flash back to a time when she was dropping Aaron off at the high school. After he got out of the car, she saw Tobias standing in the parking lot."

"That must have been shortly after he arrived in town," Deaton said.

I went on. "And then there was Stiles' text, the night he went missing. She told me that while she and Derek were searching the high school, that he took her to the pool in hopes of her remembering. She told him that she didn't remember anything, but she told me that she did remember bits and pieces. She remembers pulling Derek and Stiles out of the pool and fighting the Kanima." I paused. "Anyone? Now's a perfect time for ideas."

"All of the other times, she woke herself."

"Yeah, but it's never been this long. Her eyes are still glowing and her claws are out."

"Just like when she was in the woods," Allison said, "with Stiles and Lydia."

Deaton looked ready for a lecture. "It seems some of her flashbacks she's able to come out of on her own. But the longer the flashback, the more she needs help. After Scott's roar, her second flashback was of her and Aaron talking about Lydia and Peter. While, at the same time, Stiles and Lydia were trying to shake her out of it. The flashback she had at Derek's loft during the party, Aaron was with her in the flashback and in person.

"At the high school when she and Derek were at the pool, same thing. She was flashing back to him and Stiles in the water, but she was only getting pieces because Derek was there."

"Pulling her back," I said. "How do we pull her out now? There's no way we can know what she's seeing."

"No. But you can influence it."

"Care to elaborate?"

Deaton smiled. "When we're dreaming, if a television is left on, it can influence the person's dreams. Like how if your smoke alarm is going off, you might hear it in your dream."

"Okay," I sighed. "But that doesn't explain why this one is lasting so long."

"When she first got to the station," Chris said, "Kit said that the night before, Stiles broke into her house and drugged her, so he could take Charlie."

"Drugged her? With what?" Scott asked.

"I don't know. She said it was some kind of wolf's bane."

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a baggie with the rag I had found. I recognized the smell as poisonous and bagged it to get it away from me. I gave it to Deaton. "Here. This must be what he used. I found it at the house." Deaton took it and opened the baggie, smelling it's contents.

"This one's rare," he said. "And powerful. This could be what's trapping her in her mind."

"Can you reverse it's effects?" I asked.

"I'm afraid not. This one she has to fight on her own."

"What happens if she loses?" Scott asked.

He sighed. "If she doesn't pull herself out soon, all the memories will be too much for her brain to handle."

"What are you saying?"

"If Kit doesn't wake up in the next twenty four hours, she never will."

 **(KIT'S POV)**

"You sure you're okay?" I knew the man before me and the other me was Ben. I wasn't sure how, though. But he was my father; the man I thought was my uncle.

The other me sighed. "Okay as I'll ever be." He poured a cup of coffee.

"It's been a while since you've stayed with me. I forgot about the screaming," he turned around and faced me. "I might need to sound proof your room." What is he talking about?

"Someone call the cops again?"

"Almost." He took a sip of his cup. "But it's fine. Nothing I can't handle." I glanced around before looking at him. "You're sure you'll be fine? I can take the day off."

"No!" I put my hands out in front of me, motioning for him to stop. "That's completely unnecessary. Really, Ben. I'm an adult and have been on my own for years."

"That's what concerns me."

I glared at him. "If this is going to be a problem, I can find somewhere else to stay."

It was quiet a second as he stared at me. "Yeah, but you won't." He sat his cup down and then left the room. The other me smiled, following him to the front door. "So. What do I call you this time?" He put his jacket on, giving me a knowing look. I crossed my arms.

"Sara," I said. "Sara Grant. Same story as always. I'm the niece who's crashing here a few days and then I'm gone."

"Yeah, but is it really going to be a few days?"

"Maybe. I have a new case."

"That what the thing in the kitchen was about?" he asked. I simply nodded. "Well. Stay as long as you'd like. Let me know if there's anything I can do."

"Actually. There is one thing. Are you still friends with the Sheriff?"

"Yeah, Noah and I go way back. Why?"

"What do you know about his son?"

"Too much to go into right now," he sighed, grabbing his bag off the stairs.

"That bad, huh?"

"Why?" he suddenly looked concerned. "Does Stiles have something to do with your new case?" What case?

"A little. I just need to know about his friend."

"Scott? He's a good kid." He walked to the door. "I'm going to be late."

"Yeah, okay."

"I'll see you tonight." He turned back and looked at me. "Right?" I quickly nodded and then he was gone. It was just me and her standing in the house. One I don't recognize, but clearly should know. I only know that's Ben from photos Aaron has shown me. But the other me didn't move. In fact, it seemed like she was frozen. Like the flashback had stopped, but instead of me waking up, I'm left here.

"Hello, Kit." I knew the voice before I saw the face. Because the voice was mine. I turned around, and there I was. The room around us faded to a solid white and we were all that was left. I wasn't sure what to say. I was looking at myself and she was staring right back.

Her hair was the same as mine. But her eyes were heavy, worn. She wore dark jeans that nearly covered her black, thick boots. She wore a grey shirt that was loose, but not too loose. I looked her over before landing on her face. I was just too stunned to speak instantly. No one's ever talked to me in one of these.

"Yes," she said. "I am you."

"How…?"

"I believe you mean when. When am I?" she corrected. "I'm the version of you who fought Tobias. The version of you who was the Kirin."

"Why-why are you here…in my head?"

"Our head," she corrected again. "This is where you'd ask how. And, before you ask if I'm real…the answer is yes. I'm as real as you."

"How are you in my head?"

"When you touched the Nemeton you gave me access to your brain, your memories."

"But nothing happened."

"I'm not talking about when you were in the woods with Aaron. I'm talking about when you were fighting Tobias and you touched the Nemeton. I took back what was mine, coping your subconscious, along with the other versions of me."

"You're the Nemeton?" I asked, more confused than I was.

"No, Kit. I am the Kirin."

 **(EMMA'S POV)**

I walked the isle, jail bars on my left. I stopped in between Derek's and Chris' cells, since they had them separated. Both boys looked shocked to see me. In fact, this is the last thing I wanted to be doing right now. After our conversation with Deaton last night, I'm sure Chris told Derek everything.

Or he overheard it. But I got the sense that Derek being locked up while Kit was possibly dying wasn't such a good idea. I'm only here to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid. So far, I don't think he has. "You two look pathetic," I said as both boys stood.

Derek shot me a glance that said I was the one who was pathetic. And, yes, I am. I sighed. "I'm just trying to lighten the mood." I put my hands on the bars and used them to hold me up. I was starting to wear baggy clothes. It might just be my imagination, but I feel like the whole world can see my stomach. "I'm at my wit's end."

"How's Kit?" Derek asked. I only looked at him for a second, before I huffed and dropped my head. If I stared at his face much longer I might cry. He was showing way too much pain. Too much for me to take.

"Same," I said. "I've tried everything." I didn't want my voice to sound helpless, but I didn't have a choice in the matter.

"How much more time does she have?"

"Deaton thinks about four hours. Maybe more." I looked up at him. "I think I came here as an excuse to leave the house."

"How did you even get in here?" Chris asked.

"Sweet talked the deputy," I tossed my thumb over my shoulder, at the door out of here. "He's also watching Charlie. Again. So I guess I better leave." I pushed off the bars. I turned around to leave, only taking a few steps before I stopped. My mind was suddenly thinking. I thought I was done with that business.

I turned around and looked at Derek. "Why do we call her Kit?" I know it's out there. I could tell by the strange looks they gave me. "I'm serious. Was that her idea?"

Chris shrugged. "When she first told me about who she was, Kit was all she'd tell me."

"She told me Kit was a nickname," Derek said. "Something her friends called her."

I stepped toward him. "Right, but you called her Beckett. Why?"

He sighed through his nose, clearly annoyed with my questions. "I don't know." His eyes looked around the room. "I call her that when I'm serious about what I'm saying." He looked at me. "Or when I'm telling her I love her."

"How often do you say it?"

"I don't know. Not very often. Why?"

I felt on the verge of something. I tried to calm down since he was getting annoyed with me. "When was the last time you called her that?"

He thought for a minute. "The night of the eclipse. We were at my loft."

"Were you alone?"

"No. Peter and Cora were trying to get me to leave town. I had just given up being an Alpha and Kali was coming after me. Kit showed up with Lydia, Aaron, and Ethan to warn me about Kali. When I asked for Kit's input, I called her Beckett."

"Why?"

He sighed through his nose again, rolled his eyes. "Because I wanted her to know I was serious. That I'd listen to what she had to say."

I thought for a minute. "What about the first time you called her Beckett?"

"It was…" he sighed, thinking. "The night we got stuck in the sheriff's station with Matt and Jackson."

"I don't know what you're talking about, but go on."

"Just before I went to the station, she told me what her real name was and about her other pack. It was also the night that Lydia used me to bring back Peter," he said. "She showed up at the station after I did. Stiles and I were both paralyzed by Jackson. Somehow she sped up the healing process, made the venom leave my body faster. But we were interrupted when the Argents showed up."

I couldn't help but notice the change in his tone, that subtle jab. My eyes shifted to Chris. He looked away, clearly annoyed by Derek's tone. I looked back at Derek as he continued. "I wasn't ready to face Jackson yet, so I told her to go." He paused, and got a look like he was kicking himself for doing something.

"What?"

"I said, 'Beckett, go,'" he said. "That's the same thing I told her the other night."

"Under the same circumstances," I said, piecing it together. I knew Derek must have triggered Kit's flashback but I didn't know to what extent. Both times he said it they were at the sheriff's station, under pressure, other people were in danger, in one there was gunfire and in the other an explosion.

And both times Derek was not near a hundred percent, both times she came to his aid, and both times he told her to go. He told her to leave him in the name of helping someone else. That wasn't just a trigger word. It was more than that. Like when Stiles sent her that text.

He knew just what to say. And it got her involved. And what she remembered caused Derek to probe for more, to make him want her to remember. Now the two are on awkward terms. Stiles is trying to drive a wedge between Kit and her friends. Between Kit and Derek. And now he's threatening her life.

But, wait. The Nogitsune feeds off of strife. And that's what's happening. That's what she's caused by all of this. Two people seem to hold everyone together, that's Stiles and Kit. Kit was gone after the Nemeton turned back on, leaving Stiles the prime target.

"It's a trick." The words were out of my mouth before I knew it. I looked at Chris and Derek. They were both waiting for me to elaborate. "Kit's not dying, Stiles just wants us to think she is."

 **(KIT'S POV)**

"What do you mean you're the Kirin?" I asked. "I thought I was."

"You were my host, one of many," she replied.

"Then what are you?"

"I am the Kirin."

I sighed. "No. What are you physically? Are you some kind of spirit?"

"If that is the term you are most comfortable with, yes."

"And what if it's not."

"Without me inside of you, your brain lacks the knowledge and the capacity to understand the complexity that is the reality of my existence."

"What?"

"My point exactly."

"Okay." I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. "I thought this was a flashback, not a meet and greet."

"It was a flashback. In fact, you had a few of them. But that is not all that this is," she said. "Stiles chose the wolf's bane he did for a reason."

"Wait. How do you know Stiles?"

"I know all of them. Through you."

"Because you were living in me for…?"

"183 years. Yes."

I sighed. "They said that the Kirin was gone. As long as the Nemeton's on there can't be a Kirin because it doesn't need one."

"While Scott and Stiles are correct, they are also wrong."

"How?"

"Because you saved me."

"I saved you?" I scoffed. "Oh, this just keeps getting better."

"The night you fought Tobias, the night of the eclipse-"

"The night I don't remember," I added.

"-before the moon had fully risen, you injected yourself with Kirin's bane," she said. "The mixture made you as you were born, a tiger. It separated you from me. By doing this, when the Nemeton took you and it's powers, it left me. The serum masked my presence and I was able hide deep within your subconscious."

I stared at her blankly. It sounds crazy. Can I really trust this? "You've been with me the whole time?"

"Yes."

"Then why am I not the Kirin? Why don't I remember?"

"When the Nemeton took away my powers that included the ability to share with you our memories." She was very matter of fact. Like a creepy robot. "I am sorry for the inconvenience my actions have caused."

"No, you can't apologize."

"If you are having trouble believing me, you should know that Kit did."

"Did what?"

"Believe me."

"She knew you? The old me knew about you? How?"

"She did not know of my existence until the Nemeton took back it's powers. If you recall, your body had vanished for a month."

"Yes…? I suppose you know where I was."

"You were with me," she said.

"Okay." This is crazy. I give up. "Why are you here?"

"Because you are in danger."

"Danger? How?"

"The Nogitsune within Stiles gave you this form of wolf's bane in the hopes that you would meet a painful death."

"Oh," I said, sarcastically. "Thank you for that."

"You are welcome," she smiled and I sighed. "In order to ensure your survival, I separated your subconscious from your body, trapping you within your mind."

"What?!"

"Don't worry. It's not permanent."

"I need to leave," I said.

"You can't."

"Why?"

"Because the toxin is still in your body."

"Then make it leave."

"I can't," she said.

I groaned. "Can't or won't?"

"Can't."

"Then how do I get home?"

She cocked her head to the side. "Home?" she repeated.

"Yes. In Beacon Hills."

She straightened. "Beacon Hills is not your home. Derek Hale is."

"What?" I asked.

" _You okay?"_ the question echoed in the room. I didn't know where it was coming from, but I knew it was Derek's voice.

" _It's not my home,"_ that voice was me. _"You are."_

I looked at the other me, the Kirin. "You got that from one conversation? How can a person be your home?" She opened her mouth and I held up my hand. "You know what? Don't answer that."

"It is that same connection that you shared with Derek that has allowed me to save you," she said. "Had you not had a flashback when you did, I wouldn't have been able to save you."

I eyed her skeptically. "You're the one causing the flashbacks." She nodded. "What is it going to take to get you out of my head?!"

"It's simple, Kit," she said. "All you have to do is remember me."

 **(AUTHOR'S NOTE: the flashback scenes are from Chapter 21: Round Two; of Guardian: Trust the Instinct (Bk 2), Chapter 1: Sara Grant; of Guardian (Teen Wolf FanFic), the first book in the series, and Chapter 12: Home Pt2; of Guardian: This Might Hurt (Bk 3a)**


	15. Chapter 15: The Kirin and The Nogitsune

**(EMMA'S POV)**

I rushed home as fast as I could. I texted whoever I had the numbers for, telling them to meet me here ASAP. I stressed that it was an emergency. Given that I've been trying to wake Kit, I'm sure they'll come. When I pulled up, Allison and Lydia were getting out of a car. I abandoned the truck (almost forgetting Charlie) and headed for the house.

"What's wrong?" Allison asked, the two following me. "Is something wrong with Kit?"

"Yep." We entered the house. I sat Charlie down and then faced them. "And I need your help to save her." I turned and headed for Kit's room.

"What do you mean?"

"This whole thing has been a trick. The Nogitsune is trying to get Kit out of the picture." I walked into her room and stopped next to the bed. Kit was still lying in the same place, claws out and eyes still glowing. "He's still tricking her."

"How?"

I looked at Allison. "I think he's tricking her into staying in there, inside her head."

"That's why she's not coming out," Lydia said, seeming to be thinking.

"You think he's in there with her?" Allison asked.

"I don't know. But I think we can pull her out."

"How?"

I looked at the two of them. "We need to remind her who she is and what we mean to her. We need to convince her to come back. Before we really do lose her."

"How are we supposed to do that?" Allison asked. "She doesn't remember anything that we could tell her."

"But that's the thing," I said. "She does remember. Ever word you say might cause her to remember you, to remember herself."

"What do we do?" Lydia asked, looking me dead in the eyes.

"Just start talking about things that you guys did with her, things you remember, events. But what would really help would be if you remember something you said to her word for word. Something memorable for both of you."

"Like when Peter bit me."

"Or when we all killed Peter," Allison said.

Lydia nodded. "Or when Peter used me to bring himself back to life."

"Or when we all stopped Jackson."

"Wait," I said. "Go back. You're the second person today to mention Peter's resurrection. Why? Was Kit there?"

"Well…no," Lydia said. "Actually, where was she?"

"With Isaac," Scott's voice echoed through the room and we all looked at him. "They were in the subway. It was a full moon. Derek said that he came back after bringing Peter back and found her on the ground. She had blood coming out of her ears. Isaac said her scream shattered the lights."

"All because Peter was brought back?" I questioned.

"They had some kind of connection. Because of him biting Lydia and what Kate did to her."

"What happened after that?"

"We all were at the sheriff's station. With Jackson."

I sighed. "Okay. What about before Peter was brought back?"

"We were at Lydia's birthday party," Allison said.

"Yeah," Scott sighed. "When she poisoned all her guests with wolf's bane."

Lydia scoffed. "I had no idea what I was doing."

I was starting to see a reoccurring theme. "You all got poisoned?" And Scott and Allison nodded.

"Yeah, we were all seeing things," Scott said. "Including Kit."

"Do any of you remember what you said to her that night?" I looked at all of them. They shook their heads. "Okay. Tell her what you do know. Talk to her. Start when you woke up that day, just walk her through the whole thing."

"Okay," Scott said. "Well, I went to pick her up-"

"No. Tell her." I pointed at Kit. "She needs to hear this, not me."

 **(KIT'S POV)**

"How am I supposed to do that?" I asked her, it, whatever. The thing claiming to have been in me for most of my life. Claiming to have saved me from Stiles. Holding me hostage in my own mind. Great track record so far.

"There are many ways this can be achieved," it said. "The most affective is to remember."

"You already said that. Twice." I was about ready to find something to throw at her. Then the room changed. The walls went from white to the walls of my house. I saw myself, not the Kirin spirit thing. But me. The old me. She walked out of the hallway and went to the fridge.

I reached in and grabbed a bottled water. The door swung shut as I snapped the lid open. And then my hands stopped. "What do you think you're doing?" She turned around and saw Peter standing on the other side of the island. He had appeared out of thin air. Yet she knew he was there.

He smirked knowingly. "I asked you first."

I sat my water down. "It was you."

"You're going to have to be a little more specific."

"That night. You didn't just get inside Lydia's head," I said. He sat, almost ignoring me, now a foot from my face. I put my palms on the counter top and leaned in. "Because she and I were both there."

"You were always the smart one." He looked up at the other me. "Just always a little too late." He drew out the last word.

"Says the dead man." So this was before he came back.

He scoffed in mild offence as he sat back. "We both know this is only temporary."

"I know. Which is why you needed me out of the way. You forced me to take the serum."

"I wouldn't go that far. You're the one who wanted it. Think about it, Kit." He spit out my name. "You've never done anything you didn't want to. Deep down, anyway."

He raised his eye brows in remembrance. "I will say, I'm not surprised by how far you'll go to protect your own."

My hands balled into fists. "Lydia's a part of that, too."

"Really? When did you decide this? Because…this whole time she's been mine. While you were off…" he pretended to be searching for the words. "…doing whatever it is Kirin's do when they're not doing their job."

"How do you even remember me?"

He smiled. "That's a story that'll be better told once I'm alive. You know, in person."

"Then I guess we'll never know." I shrugged and walked out in the living room, taking my water with me.

"We'll see about that."

I turned around and looked at him. "The devil never got a second chance at life, just a first chance at hell. So what makes you think you'll get yours? As it stands, you had this coming."

"So do you." He stood and walked toward me. "Do you really think your cousin's forgotten what you did to his pack?" he said, emphasizing the word 'pack'. "Or rather…what you let happen?" Okay. Now what is he talking about? Is he talking about Sam?

"I had no idea he'd do that."

"Oh, yes you did. Every morning, as you painstakingly debated on whether or not to tell him what you are, you knew." He slowly began to circle the other me.

"Knew what?"

"The evil…behind every smile. The lies, behind every word. And the devil, behind every romantic look. Deep down, you hated him from the start. Because he reminded you." He stopped right behind the other me. "Because he reminded you of me!"

"No, Peter. That's where you're wrong." I turned around and looked at him. "Because he's way worse than you are." I pulled back and through my water bottle as hard as I could at him. He disappeared into a puff of smoke as the bottle went through him.

The room flickered to white again. Sure enough, the Kirin me had returned. "What was that?"

"That was a memory. One of you and Peter Hale."

"No duh. Why did you show me that?"

"I didn't. I can't show you memories; only allow them to be discovered on their own."

I wanted to pull my hair out. "What does that mean?"

"You remembered it on your own."

Before I could ask another question, the room flicked away. It went back to my house. The other me was wearing six inch heels and a mini skirt. The door bell rang. "I'm coming!" I sighed, making my way to the door. I opened the door, and see Scott. He looked slightly worried.

"Is everything okay?" he asked. "I thought I heard something."

"Oh," I straightened, glancing over my shoulder. "Spider. It's okay, though. I got it." I left the door and walked to the kitchen counter to grab my phone. He was staring at the other me with an odd expression. "What?"

"You look…nice."

"As opposed to normal. When I look terrible."

His eyes went wide. "What? No-"

I laughed. "It's okay, Scott. I'm just giving you a hard time. I was trying to look younger so I didn't stick out. I'm not exactly in high school anymore."

He shrugged. "Could've fooled me," he smiled.

I smirked. "You're just saying that because you like older girls."

"True," he admitted, "Allison is older. But even if I didn't want to be with her, I wouldn't go out with you."

"Why?"

"Well…"

"I remind you of your mom, don't I? Am I really that old?"

"No, no, no. It's not your age. It's your personality. You have an…old sprit?"

"I believe it's soul. Old soul."

"Whatever." Then he nodded toward the door. "Come on. You're driving."

 **(Emma's POV)**

"What happened next?" I asked Scott.

"She drove us to Lydia's party," he said. "We found Stiles when we got there. We were talking about Jackson. About who might be controlling him. Then we found Allison."

"Yeah," Allison said. "We were the only ones there."

"Somehow Kit and Stiles got in an argument."

"About what?" I asked.

"About how old Kit was," Scott smiled, thinking back on it. "But she was teasing him. Then we called some people, told them to come to the party. Soon the whole place was full. I lost track of Kit after that."

"Yeah, me, too," Allison said.

"But Stiles didn't," Aaron walked into the room. "He told me that he was the one who snapped Kit out of her hallucination. Then they found everyone else."

"Wait," Lydia said. "Before that, I saw her talking to Stiles. And then I spoke to her."

 **(KIT'S POV)**

I was in a new vision but I was wearing the same clothes. I was now at someone's house, at what looked like a party. The other me was walking through the crowd, Stiles following. "My appearance is twenty-three. Tops." I winked at him before walking away.

A second later he yelled, "Wait, what? What do you mean appearance?" And then he was on my heels. "You can make yourself look younger? How old are you? And, why don't we know your name yet?"

"How do you know my name's not Sara?"

"Uh, because you told me it wasn't."

"Did I?" I said in mock forgetfulness. I stopped, Stiles slamming into the back of me. Her eyes were fixed on something, so I followed her gaze. Lydia stood at the punch bowl filling glasses. The other me tried to push Stiles away, but he wouldn't go. I looked at him, annoyed. "It's Kit."

He froze. "Whoa, wait. Your name is Kit?"

I glanced back at Lydia and then looked at him. "Yeah, why?"

His mouth hung open. "I-I don't-I just."

I sighed. "Spit it out, Stilinski."

"-you look like a Kit," he said. "It suits you."

"Thanks…?"

"Is it short for something?"

"And here I thought we were having a moment. Go find someone else to badger for a while." I turned around and walked away. I just made a wide circle around all the gyrating bodies, keeping an eye on Lydia. She finished filling her glasses as I walked up to her.

She picked up the tray of glasses and turned toward me, stopping when she finally noticed me. She looked wide eyed, slightly panicked. I cleared my throat. "Do you remember me?" I asked. Her eyes looked me over, examining every inch. Then she pushed out her lips and tossed her head in a flippant manner as she looked me in the eyes.

"Should I?" she half way scoffed, seemingly disgusted by my presence. This isn't the Lydia I met.

"Guess I got you confused with someone else."

"Guess so." She took a few steps until she was equal with me and then stopped. She looked me over again, but only out of the corner of her eye. "You know…it's rude to try and out shine the birthday girl. Go find someone else's party to crash."

The scene turned to white. But this time, only for a second. I was quickly thrust into another flashback. I was at the same place, but something was different. The other me was in the house, with my back against the wall. Tears ran down my face. Stiles was there, standing in front of me.

"Hey, easy. It's okay," he said. I didn't say anything, just stood there. "You see something, too?"

"Did you see them?"

"No." He cleared his throat. "I saw something else."

"What happened to you? We need to find Scott." I wiped away the tears and then straightened my outfit. I looked at Stiles. "You saw something, too?"

"Yeah…?"

"But you're human."

"Ouch," he said, offended. "Thank you, for the…reminder." The other me ignored him and ran out of the house, pushing past people. As soon as I hit the deck, Scott and Aaron ran up to us.

"That was a wild ride," Aaron said. "Anyone else looking to go again?"

"No!" Scott, Stiles, and I all said at the same time. I looked around the pool deck. But something caught all of our attention. Someone, a guy, was yelling that he couldn't swim as two guys tossed him into the pool. Every one watched and laughed as he flailed in the water, drowning. But in a matter of seconds, Jackson appeared at the edge of the pool and pulled him out.

Once he was out of the pool, Jackson left, but the guy stayed. He stood and looked at the crowd. "What are you looking at?" he said, angrily. He glared a few seconds longer and then started walking. But then he stopped when he looked at the other me.

He scowled at me and then pushed past, his shoulder hitting mine. I watched him walk past us and leave the house. "Who was that?"

"Matt," Scott said. "Why?" He looked at me just as someone yelled: "Cops are here! Party's over!" And then there was a mad rush to the door.

"Because he's controlling the Kanima," I said as people pushed past.

"What?" Stiles looked at me. "How do you know?"

"Trust me."

Then the room went white. I was then again with the Kirin me. "Why does this keep happening?"

"An outside force is causing you to-"

"No. This. Me coming back here. Why aren't' I going home? Why am I not waking up?"

"I told you. You have to remember me," she said.

"Yeah, well how can I remember you if I never knew you?" I turned around like I was going to walk away. Not only is there nowhere for me to go, but I got the sense that something was wrong. "I never knew you." I turned around and looked at her. "You said it yourself, I never knew you."

"I do not understand."

"How can I remember something I didn't ever know?" I asked. And she didn't answer. "You're not real. This isn't real."

She smiled. "Well done, Kit." Her appearance changed. She was no longer a reflection of me. Now she looked like Stiles. "You found me."

"You," I said accusingly.

"Me," he smiled.

I thought, everything falling into place. "That's why Charlie was unharmed and somewhere where he'd be found. You wanted me to look for him. You wanted me at the station when that bomb went off." His smile only intensified. "You wanted Derek to cause me to have a flashback."

"You're too desperate to find out who you were that you're not thinking about who you are. Stiles knows who you are."

"How are you here?"

"Oh, I'm not really here. But you think I am, and…what was it you'd say?" he paused in thought. Then his eyes set on me with pure evil backing them. "It's the thought that counts."

 **(EMMA'S POV)**

"So you found out Matt was controlling Jackson," I said. "Then what?"

"Then she left," Scott said. "She went to find Derek."

"But she never found him," Aaron said. "Just his Betas chained up in the subway car."

I thought, hard. "How'd she know that Peter had come back?"

"Guys," Allison said, her tone changing. I looked at her. "Look." She pointed at Kit. Kit hadn't moved since we started, but now she had black blood trickling out of her nose and the corner of her eyes.

"That's not good," I said as I got on the bed next to her. I held her face in my hands, looking at her more closely. "We're running out of time."

"What do we do?"

"Maybe Scott's roar could bring her out of it," Aaron said.

"No," I sat back and looked at them. "That had the opposite affect last time. Finish the story. How did Kit know about Peter?"

"I don't know!" Aaron was starting to freak out.

"We don't know," Scott said. "She screamed and then past out. And she was like that when Derek found her." I looked back at Kit and then at the others. I looked at each one of their worried faces. But my eyes landed on Lydia.

"Lydia," I said and she looked at me. "She had a vision once, of her talking to Aaron about you forcing her to shift. I'm going to need you to do that again." I climbed off the bed.

"What?!" Lydia looked at Kit. "I can't."

I walked up to her. "Yes, you can and you will. But this time, you'll be forcing her to shift back to human, to come back to us."

"I don't even know how I did it before."

"Exactly. You didn't know what you were doing and you did it. You made the Kirin shift into a tiger against her will. Whether that was because of Peter or out of your sheer will doesn't matter. Right now, Kit's life depends on you doing it again. I believe that you two still have that connection. How else do you think it was that you found her in the woods after she had been missing for a month?"

"I found her because I…" she spoke numbly. "I don't know, I just knew she was there. I screamed."

"Yes. And you're going to find her again." I stepped behind Lydia.

"No," she turned and looked at me. "The night I brought back Peter. I screamed."

"Kit must've heard it," Scott said. "Like she did all the other times."

Aaron nodded. "And that's how she knew Peter was back."

"Okay." I put my hands on Lydia and spun her so she faced Kit. "Do it, Lydia. Scream." I could feel her hesitation, sense her fear. I'm not sure if she was more afraid of messing up or of it not working. But this is our last shot. If this doesn't work, I don't think anything else will.

Lydia sucked in a breath, letting it out in a Banshee's scream. It was so loud I had to cover my ears, and I'm sure the others did, too. The picture frame on the nightstand broke and fell over. Cracks formed in the windows and splintered across. When Lydia stopped screaming, we all remained still. All eyes were on Kit.

"Did it work?" Lydia asked. I walked over to Kit. It appeared that the liquid coming out of her nose and eyes had stopped, but that could be just an illusion. And for a split second, my heart sank, thinking that it didn't work. That Kit was gone forever, this time.

The green in Kit's eyes grew brighter, until they were almost too bright to look at. And then just as fast, the color was gone, her eyes returning to normal. Her eyes lids closed as I looked down and saw that her claws were retracting. Kit inhaled deeply, opening her eyes. I heard the others sigh with relief, realizing that it had worked. I did the same thing, unaware that I was holding my breath.

I looked at Lydia. "It worked," I smiled. Kit started sitting up so I helped her, leaning her back against the head board. She put her hand on her head and groaned. "Are you okay?" She looked at me, like she was just realizing I was here.

"Please tell me you guys are real," she said.

Aaron scoffed. "Yeah, so real that I think I'm gonna need a new pair of drawers." Everyone laughed, including Kit. She continued to keep her hand on her head, over her right temple. I'm sure all that gave her a terrible headache.

"I'll have the Sheriff tell my dad and Derek that she's okay," Allison said, before disappearing out of the room.

Aaron walked to the end of the bed, putting his hands on the frame and looking at Kit. "Don't ever do that again."

"You're telling me," she sighed.

"Yeah, like, I mean it. Like, just-just don't ever have another flashback, if that's what it takes. Better yet, just don't remember us. I think I'm cool with that, now." He looked around the room. "Anyone else?" Scott and Lydia seemed to shrug him off. I don't think anyone takes Aaron seriously.

"What happened in there?" Scott asked Kit.

She huffed, like that was going to be a very long story. "The Nogitsune was in my head, trying to get me to believe this crazy story. And I did, at first."

"What made you stop believing it?"

"I'm assuming that was you guys." She glanced around at us. "I don't know what you said, but…. I kept having flashbacks, one right after the other. When I realized what the Nogitsune was doing, it put me in another flashback. At the end of it, I heard Lydia scream. But I thought it was just in my head."

Kit looked at Lydia. "How'd you know to do that?"

"Emma told me to," she replied.

Kit then looked at me. "How'd you know that would work? How'd you know I was in trouble?"

"It's gonna take a while to explain," I said. "It was something Derek said." I glanced around, just as Allison came back into the room. "But this was a team effort."

 **(AUTHOR'S NOTE: the flashback scenes are from Chapter 19: Party Guessed; of Guardian: Trust the Instinct (Bk 2)**


	16. Chapter 16: Armored Car

**(KIT'S POV)**

A couple hours later, Emma and I met with Scott, Allison, Lydia, Ethan, and Aiden at Allison's place. The text was sent out to Emma. But I knew I couldn't sit by. I've been doing enough of that. I need to help them stop the Nogitsune inside of Stiles, so we can all move on with our lives.

But, in order to do that we first have to break into an armored police car. Very bad idea. Emma filled me in as best she could. I guess I missed a few developments. Apparently there's a scroll that says how to exercise a Nogitsune. Allison thinks it's in the prosthetic finger of the man Chris says has it.

That man's name is Katashi, and he's the guy Chris and Derek are being framed for killing. So that finger is in lock up. Chris told Allison that they're moving all their evidence, including the finger, tonight. Meaning, if we want that finger, now might be our last chance to get it.

"This is a really bad plan," Scott said.

"It's not that bad." I could tell Lydia was trying to be reassuring, as it was her and Allison's plan, but it wasn't working.

"It's not that good," Ethan said.

"None of us knows the route they're going to take." Lydia moved on, ignoring him. "If Allison can get one of her dad's GPS trackers on the armored car, then we can follow it."

Allison nodded. "So, when it gets here-" she pointed to a spot on a map they had laid out on the table.

But Aiden cut her off. "We attack them."

Lydia faced him. "No. You're bikes will be in the middle of the road looking like you guys got into an accident. And, when the driver gets out to help-"

"We attack him."

"No!" both Lydia and Allison spoke at the same time.

"You'll distract him," Lydia said. "And Scott will break open the back door."

Scott looked unsure for a moment. "I hope."

Lydia sighed and looked at Ethan. "And you will get Katashi's finger."

"It's not his actual finger, is it?" he asked.

Lydia sighed again. "You are so out of our league."

Ethan looked at Scott. "Why aren't we just going to Stilinski for help?"

"Because if he gets caught, then it's the Sheriff tampering with federal evidence," Scott said.

"Guys, this is gonna work," Allison said. "We can do this. We're losing Stiles. My dad is in jail for murder. We need to do this."

"So, where do we come in?" Emma asked. That was a good question. It seemed we'd shown up late to the party, but their plan didn't include us.

Lydia looked at us. "You guys can come with us, and be back up. Maybe one of you can help Scott get the door open."

"Okay," Emma sighed. "Well, I'm out." She turned and started for the door.

"What?" I followed her enough to grab her arm and stop her. "Em."

She sighed. "You guys get into some pretty crazy stuff with these plans of yours. I just can't risk it. I'll be home with Charlie." She turned and left. That seemed very abrupt. I guess she just came to see what they wanted, not to actually help. I think she's nervous.

"What was that about?" Lydia asked.

"I think what the Nogitsune did to me scared her," I replied. "Now more than ever she's worried for her child."

Everyone looked confused. "What child?" Scott asked.

"She didn't tell you?" I asked, knowing darn well what the answer was. They shook their heads. "Emma's pregnant."

"She's what?!" Aiden said.

I sighed, looking at him. "Don't make me spell it out for you."

"Wait," Scott said. "For how long?"

"I believe she said she's five months along. Why?"

"So she's been pregnant this whole time."

"Yeah, so?"

"Why didn't she tell us?" Allison asked.

"I don't know." Had I known there'd be so many questions I probably would've just kept my mouth shut.

"Who's the father?" Lydia asked.

And I repeated, "I don't know."

"It doesn't concern you that you don't know who the baby's father is?" Allison asked.

"No." I crossed my arms. "She won't tell me until she's ready."

"I thought you were her best friend," Lydia said.

I looked at her. "I am."

She shrugged. "Then why keep that from you? After all, you guys were apart for fourteen years, and having a baby isn't generally something you keep a secret."

"Look, you don't understand her like I do. She just needs some more time. So can we drop it, now?" I asked. Everyone was quiet so I thought the conversation was over. I was wrong.

"Did you see the way Derek looked at Emma at the black light party?" Aiden said.

"Yeah," Ethan joined in. "Maybe Derek's the father."

I sighed, not for one second considering what they were saying. "What are you guys trying to do? Get under my skin? Or are you just trying to prove that you're idiots?" They scowled at me. "Needless to say, we all have our pasts. Some we're proud of and some we're not. But even with this, I still trust her more than I do you two."

We met up at the Sheriff's station just after dark. Not only had Scott brought Kira, but somehow Aaron found out we were doing this and came along. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. The armored car sat next to the building's back entrance.

A deputy walked out of the station and to the driver's door of the police vehicle. Right now, the goal is to just put the tracker on it. And then later, we'll get the finger. That doesn't sound right. I'm just glad it's a fake finger. A real one, I don't think I could do. I would have left with Emma.

Kira, with the tracker in hand, ran to the armored car and put the tracker under the bumper. Great. Tracker planted. Just one problem. At that very second, another deputy, one I recognized as Deputy Parrish, walked out of the station and to the truck. He went to the passenger side and opened the door. But I knew something was wrong when he drew his gun.

"We have to do something." Scott was getting nervous that Parrish would find Kira. Parrish walked to the end of the truck, and then it's back doors flew open. A large, dark skinned man jumped out of the back of the armored car. He grabbed Parrish, bouncing his head off the bumper, and then pushing him to the side. "Who the Hell is that?"

"More like, what is that?" Aaron said.

"Kincaid," Allison said. Right. The werewolf who worked for Katashi. Only fitting he'd be here, I guess.

"So, what do we do?" Aaron asked.

"He must be after the finger," Allison said, ignoring Aaron, as we watched Kincaid turn his focus back to the truck.

"I think this is one of those problems you have to just suck it up and face head on," I said. Scott looked at me and I shrugged. He sighed and then stood. We followed suit. We walked up to Kincaid and the armored car, stopping about five feet away. Kincaid had just found the evidence bag that held the finger.

"We need that finger," Scott said. Aaron and I stood next to Scott, ready for this to not go well. Allison stood on the other side of Scott, with a crossbow aimed at Kincaid.

He looked at us and smiled. "Why should I give it to you?"

"There's a brief case in there with a hundred and fifty thousand in it," Allison said.

Kincaid held up the finger. "The scroll inside this prosthetic finger is worth three million." Aaron let out a low whistle.

"Give me the finger," Scott said, with all seriousness. Then he added, "You know what I mean." Kira jumped off the top of the armored car and landed on Kincaid's back. He easily flicked her off and she tumbled to the side. Kincaid got down in a crouched position, his eyes glowing blue and his teeth longer than they were a minute ago.

"I guess negotiations are over," he said.

Aaron audibly sighed next to me. "Oh, good. They're blue. I was really hoping they wouldn't be red." Oh. My. Goodness. How is this kid still alive? Kincaid growled loudly at us, a split second before he charged. Scott and Aaron rushed forward, both boys fully shifted.

They slammed into his chest and began pushing him back. Kincaid only took one step back before he swung, knocking Aaron into the air. His next victim was Scott. Kincaid grabbed him, head butting him and then throwing him to the side. Allison shot him in the shoulder with an arrow.

But he just pulled it out. Allison reloaded as Kira attempted to step in and help. So far she's just been a liability, but that's just me. He grabbed her by the throat and then tossed her into Aaron, the two slamming into a brick wall. Kincaid stepped forward, about to backhand Allison.

I pulled her back, catching his wrist with my left hand. My green eyes glared into his blue as I growled. The action caught him off guard. I used that as my chance. I spun and jammed my right elbow into his gut. He stumbled back. I ran at him, jumping and planting my feet into his chest.

When I pushed off of him, he flew back. I back flipped, landing on my feet. Kincaid didn't hit the floor, but he almost did. Ethan and Aiden jumped down from somewhere on the sheriff's station, landing around Kincaid. The three instantly became locked in a fight. And the twins were winning.

"How did you do that?" Scott asked me.

"I'm guessing…" I looked around, seeing Kira and Aaron getting to their feet and Lydia with Allison. "…I never told you that tigers were stronger than wolves."

"Nope. Kind of left that part out." His offence was quickly replaced with concern when he saw that the twins were taking it a light too far. "Stop!" But the twins continued their pursuit. "Ethan, Aiden…"

"Stop!" Lydia stepped forward. Kincaid was on his knees, clearly beaten.

Aiden pointed at him, looking at Lydia. "You want him to come after us?"

"Scott," Ethan said, "we've seen guys like this. Trust us. He's dangerous."

"I…have to agree with them," Aaron said. My face contorted in confusion. Aaron was the last person I'd worry about wanting to kill someone. "I hate to say it, but it's true. I've learned firsthand that guys like this are just too dangerous to leave alive."

"Yeah, well, so are we," Scott said. "And he looks smart enough to remember that." He took the finger out of Kincaid's pocket. He tapped the end of it on his hand, the scroll falling out the bottom of it, as small as it was. Allison was right. Scott looked back up at the twins. "We're here to save a life. Not end one."

Our little group then broke up, everyone going their separate ways, leaving Kincaid behind. He looked more shocked that we were leaving him alive than the twins did. Of course, the twins should expect this by now. After all, they want into Scott's pack. That means doing things his way. I decided to go with Scott to the vet clinic to give the scroll to Deaton. It took Deaton a little longer to look at it. And he didn't seem to sure. His face has some pretty weird expressions.

"There isn't much here, unfortunately," he said.

"Does it say anything?" Scott asked.

"My Japanese isn't great. But it appears to say that one method of expelling a Nogitsune is to change the body of the host."

"Change the body?"

"Which begs the question…how do we change Stiles' body?" Deaton asked, but clearly already knew the answer. And there was only one way I could think of. One Scott said a second later.

"By turning him into a werewolf."


	17. Chapter 17: Trickster

I'm standing in the Sheriff's office waiting for him to return. Stiles is missing, again. Somehow he got out of Eichen House. The one place I thought he wouldn't be able to. My guess is that he's no longer Stiles. I'm assuming the Sheriff asked me here to ask me for my help.

Malia, the coyote we helped turn back into a girl, apparently was at Eichen with Stiles. She found Scott and told him about what happened there. I guess Stiles told her everything about the Nogitsune. She said that they found the Nogitsune's body in a wall in the basement.

Along with a sword and a picture from 1943. In the photo is a girl who looks identical to Kira. Scott's currently talking to her about it. I hope they can come up with some answers. I'm getting tired of playing games. I left Emma home with Charlie. I knew that she wouldn't want to come even if I asked.

I heard the office door open and looked that way. Chris and Derek walked into the room, followed by Stilinski. He told me that he was able to get the charges dropped so that Chris and Derek could go free. Chris saw me and looked surprised, but he didn't stop and stare like Derek did.

Emma told me that she went to see him and Chris when they thought I was going to die. I'm sure they both were relieved to hear that that wasn't going to happen. But I can only imagine how it must have felt to be trapped in a jail cell while the person you love is dying. Even if he couldn't have done anything. Not to mention that it was his words that started the whole thing.

The Sheriff closed the door and then walked behind his desk. "Now, Miss…" he trailed off, seeming to be searching for the word.

I looked at him. "Just call me Kit."

He nodded sympathetically, like he was sorry he didn't know what to call me. Honestly, I'm surprised I know what to call me. "Kit, if you need to leave at any time, you just go."

"I'm fine," I said. "Thank you for the concern. But the only thing that'll make me feel better would be for me to get my hands around the throat of that Nogitsune."

He looked concerned for a minute. "We're not going to kill Stiles," he said it like he thought I had the wrong idea.

"Yeah, I know. But you can strangle someone without killing them." I knew I was digging myself a hole so I just stopped talking.

"Okay." He sighed and then looked at the others. We were all standing in front of the Sheriff's desk. "The specialist I saw in L.A. told me the thing that every doctor says when he's trying to avoid a lawsuit. 'We can't say for sure.' And then I spoke with Melissa. These are brain scans. My wife's and Stiles'."

He pulled the two scans out of a file and held them up. "I knew they were similar." He handed then to Chris. "But those are the same. Exactly the same." Both Derek and I looked over at the scans. Sure enough, the two lined up perfectly with each other. I'm pretty sure they're not supposed to do that.

"I'm guessing this isn't possible?" Derek said.

"Not even remotely."

Chris put the scans on the desk. "So the trickster is still playing tricks."

Derek sighed. "But why this trick?"

"When I was in the Army," the Sheriff said, "an officer told me, 'If you want to defeat your enemy, you don't take away their courage. You take away their hope.'"

"You don't look like a man who gives up hope easily," Chris said.

"But Stiles might. If this thing inside of him, if it's using his mother's disease as some sort of physiological trick, then this isn't just a fight for his body. It's also a fight for his mind. Right?"

"You know, he's left people severely injured."

"And others severely dead," Derek said as he looked at Chris.

"That's why I need the three of you," the Sheriff said. "I need people who are experienced in this kind of thing. I need you to help me stop him." It was then that I realized that this wasn't just the sheriff asking for our help. It was a worried father who knew that his son was in trouble with something that he had no power to stop.

"And by stop him," Chris said, "you mean trap him." I'm not even really sure why Chris had to verify. Of course he wants his son back in one piece. The Sheriff gave Chris back his weapon, one of those electrocuting ones. They shared a look that said that they understood each other.

But I wasn't too sure. Chris is still a hunter. He hunts things. And usually, the things that he hunts don't walk away. But then again, maybe it's a good thing to have someone who can do the hard thing of killing Stiles, should it come to that. I just don't hope it'll come to that.

We all then headed to Argent's to come up with a plan. I had walked here, and both Derek and Chris were brought here in the back of a police car, so we let the Sheriff drive us there. Derek and I sat in the back. It seemed that he was avoiding me. He hadn't said a word to me.

But as I thought about it on the way there, I came to a different conclusion. That maybe he was trying to resist the urge to touch me, to over step. He just spent a day or two thinking I was going to die and that he wasn't going to be there. And, now, here I am. But it's not like he can touch me.

If he did, he might think that I'd think that he was moving too fast. That he was trying to make me love him. Kind of like what happened at the school. After that, we haven't really talked much. I think that he's so afraid of losing me that he's not going to do anything with me at all.

We pulled up outside the building and all filed out of the car. Chris was in the lead with the Sheriff close to him. I caught up with Derek and grabbed his wrist to stop him. He did, looking at me curiously. "It's okay, you know," I said.

"What?"

"To feel something." I wasn't quite sure where I was going with this or why I chose now to talk about it. But here I am. Me and my big mouth. He looked away, glancing around the parking lot. "You don't have to not be you on my account. And you don't have to be afraid that the next word you say or the next thing you do will scare me away."

He looked down at me, his eyes meeting mine. I realized I was still holding onto his wrist and let it go, a little too quickly. "Are you sure about that?" he asked. I know, my bad. But I'm new at this whole love thing. Not to mention that this is even weirder. We were in love and I don't remember it.

"Something tells me that I fell in love with you, not the version of you you wanted me to see."

"Something tells me you're right."

I smiled. "They say the heart doesn't forget. But I think mine needs a reminder." I turned and walked toward the entrance, seeing that Chris and the Sheriff had stopped. They both started walking, pretending like they weren't just watching us. But I know that their human ears couldn't hear anything, anyway.

When we got to room 402, Allison let us into the apartment. Then we went into Chris' office. "This is everything non-lethal I could find," she said. The desk was covered in a few random things. Rope, a flashlight, tranquilizer darts, hand cuffs, zip ties. Everything minus the guns and poisoned bullets.

"Take all of it," Chris said. Allison began filling a duffel bag as the Sheriff spoke.

"What's the plan here?"

"Our best shot right now is for Derek and Kit to try and pick up Stiles' scent at Eichen House," Chris replied. "Especially if he went through something stressful there."

"Should all four of us be going in the same place?"

"Well, where else has Stiles been showing up?"

"Uh…" I looked around at everyone. "Does anyone else get the sense of déjà vu, here? We already did this."

Derek nodded. "He disappeared. We started looking for him. Then walked right into a trap at the hospital."

"He's getting us to repeat the same moves," Chris said.

"So, what do we do?" Allison asked. "Wait for him to come to us?"

"We can't," Derek said. "Not if the Oni find him when the sun goes down." Oh, the Oni. Pesky little things. Can't they just be good little demon ninjas and let us do our job?

"Scott's working on that right now with Kira," the Sheriff said.

"That's the problem," Chris said. "We're all trying to out-fox the fox." Then everyone hung their heads with gloomy looks.

"Listen," the Sheriff said. "I'll understand if anyone wants to back out." The room was quiet for a minute.

"On a normal day, I'd say not being the Kirin was a disadvantage," I said. "Stiles thinks he knows this version of me. Which, I think, is what that whole thing was about the other day. He was trying to scare me into leaving. Now, I don't know about the old me, but I don't run from a fight. I'm staying and seeing this through."

"I'm not going to be the first wolf to run from a fox," Derek said.

"Apparently I'm carrying a lightsaber," Chris said.

"Dad, you, Kit, and Derek hit Eichen House," Allison said. "Sheriff, it's you and me in the hospital. We all meet in the school." Allison and the Sheriff walked out of the room. Derek and I started to leave, but then he stopped. I turned back and saw that Chris had opened a decoy book on the desk and was now loading the gun that was in it.

"Making sure you have a few lethal options just in case?" Derek asked. But I could hear the hostility in his voice. I was hoping the two being locked up together would, I don't know, force them to get over themselves? Guess I was wrong.

Chris looked at him. "I like to prepare for the worst."

 **(EMMA'S POV)**

I sat on the couch, supposed to be reading a book. But I haven't turned a page in an hour. All I could do was stare at Charlie. And think about how, soon, I'll have a child of my own to look after. And how I'll be doing it all on my own. I stood and walked down the hall to my room.

I went to my night stand and pulled out the drawer. The only thing inside of it was the only personal belonging I managed to bring with me. I reached in the drawer and pulled out the necklace, sitting on the bed and cradling it in the palm of my hand.

This necklace was given to me by my husband, Dylan, the night that he proposed to me. It's a silver pair of angle wings in the shape of a heart. The two wings fold open, revealing a message inside. Engraved into the metal was written, "I have fallen in love many times… Always with you." On the left hand flap was engraved my initials, 'EK', and on the right side were his, 'DJ'.

Feeling our child grow inside of me, all of the constant danger we always seem to be in, it's all made me think of him. I can't get him out of my head. I know I only lost him three months ago, and that I should still be grieving. But I don't think I ever started grieving.

Our Pride was taken over and then he died. But the Pride was still in danger. I pushed all my feeling away and tried to focus on saving them, instead of feeling sorry for myself. I couldn't even save his parents. Joy is all I have left of that former life with him. Her, and our baby.

I sighed. What am I doing? I'll tell you what I'm doing. The Pride is safe, thanks to Derek, I'm assuming. And Kit seems to be doing fine, not that I really want to join in the fight. I don't want to risk losing my baby for people I don't know. What I'm doing is…I'm finally letting reality sink in.

I'm finally letting myself believe that he's gone. That everything we planned on doing, the life we planned on having, will never happen. That I became a single parent even before I knew I was a parent. My fingers enclosed around the locket, as hot tears rolled down my face.

I didn't realize just how much my heart hurt. Just how much I missed him. I laid on my side, the pillow under my head and the locket close against me. And I let myself do what I should have done when this all started. I let myself cry.

 **(KIT'S POV)**

We had just gotten inside Eichen when Allison texted Chris. Stiles was at his house in his room. He set off the alarm on purpose so that the Sheriff would be notified of it. We rushed there as fast as we could. But Stiles was gone when we got there. He wanted us here, I'm just not sure why.

"What is all this?" Chris asked. We were all in Stiles' bed room, hoping to find something. So far, all we've found is a chess board. The pieces are all over the board, with sticky note labels on most of them. "What are these sticky notes for?"

"This is what Stiles used to try and explain to me about all of you," the Sheriff said.

"Well, maybe it's a message from Stiles," Allison suggested. "The real Stiles." None of it really made sense. A piece with Isaac's name lay off the board, along with a Blair and a Tobias piece. Jackson was on the board, so he was still around just not a player. Lydia's not on the board. But Deaton is. That doesn't make sense.

My name was on the board, next to Deaton's piece. Both of which were on the farthest side of the board. Does that mean, he doesn't think of us as a threat? Aaron's piece was next to Scott in the middle of the board, who was next to Allison. And then I saw one other slightly alarming detail. Kate's name was on the board. Like, an actual integral part. She was a space from Chris, both just past the half way mark. Why is her name on the board if she's dead?

I was about to ask when Derek spoke. "You think there's any reason why my name's on the king?"

"Well, you're heavily guarded," the Sheriff said. Ironically, he's guarded by Ethan and Aiden. Next after that is Peter, and then Scott, Allison, and Aaron. Another person missing was Emma. Her name wasn't on the board. "Though I guess the alarming detail is that you're one move from being in checkmate."

"It's not a message from Stiles," Chris said. "It's a threat from the Nogitsune."

"He's at the loft," Allison said. "That's what he's trying to tell us."

"And he wants us to come there."

"Night's falling," Derek added.

"This couldn't sound any more like a trap."

"I don't know why you're surprised," I said.

"I don't think it is," the Sheriff said.

Chris looked at him. "I think your opinion might be slightly biased, Sheriff."

"Hear me out. What we're dealing with here is basically someone who lacks motive. No rhyme, no reason. Right?"

"Meaning what?"

"Our enemy is not a killer. It's a trickster. The killing is just a by-product."

"If you're trying to say it won't kill us," Derek said, "I'm not feeling too confident about that." I wasn't sure what I thought.

"It won't. It wants irony," the Sheriff said. "It wants to play a trick. It wants a joke. All we need to do is come up with a new punch line."

"Easier said than done," I said. "It's not just a Nogitsune you have to out trick, but Stiles, too. It's just like a Kanima and it's master, they're practically the same person." I froze, nearly cutting off the end of that last word. I looked around at the shocked faces I was getting. I just said something I wasn't supposed to remember.

I shrugged. "That's been happening a lot. My mouth just kind of takes over and I have no idea what I'm saying. Like at the station with Agent McCall." I sighed. "But the point still stands. The two are the same." They looked at me with that look, again.

Letting me know that the old me was showing. That she slipped out and they saw her. Giving them the false hope that I might be her again. But I don't want to do that. Because I don't know if I'll ever be her again. And giving them that false hope, seems worse than the old me never returning at all.

The Sheriff had some kind of plan. And for some reason, we let him do it. We all went to Derek's loft, but only the Sheriff went in. We wanted to know if this was Stiles or the Nogitsune we were dealing with. Or rather, the Sheriff did. I'm under the 'shoot first, ask questions later' mind set. I'd rather assume he was the Nogitsune and just save us the trouble of checking. But not everyone's like that.

On the way, Allison texted Scott and told him what's going on. Hopefully, he'll be here soon. Because it sounds like it's not going well in there. The Sheriff just declared him the Nogitsune. Allison, Chris, Derek, and I walked into the loft. Stiles seemed to smile at the sight of us.

We stopped next to the Sheriff, standing on either side of him, about four feet from Stiles. Next to me, Allison raised her taser, pointing it at Stiles. She pulled the trigger, letting the prongs fly. Stiles caught them, being completely unfazed by the electricity flowing into him. He grabbed enough of the wire to yank it out of her hands and through it across the room. Well, he's stronger than I thought. That's just…wonderful.

Derek growled. He stepped forward and tried to hit Stiles. But Stiles caught it, turning the action back on Derek by twisting his arm behind his back. Stiles pulled him to a table that he slammed Derek into before swinging him around and making him air born. Derek slammed into one of the support columns before crashing to the ground.

Stiles turned around, a smug look on his face. His eyes landed on me. I was holding back. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do more, attack Stiles or go to Derek. But I knew that either one was probably a bad idea. So I remained still, holding back a growl.

"What's wrong Kit?" Stiles said. "You don't want to give it a try?" Stiles took a step forward. I instinctively put my arm across Allison and we both took a step back. Behind Stiles, Derek growled. He was still on the ground, but clearly not happy with Stiles coming near me. Stiles turned around and looked at him. "Oh. Is that so?"

And then we heard a gun cock. I cringed. Chris had his gun pointed right at Stiles. Stiles faced him, almost daringly. But at the same time, he looked just as shocked as we did. I knew Chris had the gun, but I didn't think he'd actually pull it out. And especially not right now.

"Argent, listen to me," the Sheriff said. "Don't do this."

"Why not?" Chris asked. "I've done it before." I calmly stepped closer, Derek now to his feet and surveying the situation also. "Werewolves, Berserkers. I can easily add a Nogitsune to the list." The Sheriff then pulled out his gun and pointed it at Chris. Okay, now this is out of hand.

"You're not gonna shoot my son."

"You said it yourself, Sheriff. That's not your son."

"Put it down. Put it down."

Stiles then looked at the Sheriff. "Dad, he's gonna shoot me." My eyes widened. He said it with all the sincerity that the real Stiles would have. "He's gonna kill me, Dad."

"Don't listen," Chris said.

But the Sheriff wasn't having it. "Put the gun down. Put it down." But Chris wasn't budging either. "Now! Do it! Put it down!"

Stiles looked at Chris. "Pull the trigger," he said. "Come on." The whole time the Sheriff is yelling for Chris to drop his gun and Stiles is telling him to shoot him. "Shoot me." And then it turned into a yelling match. Allison yelled for her dad, the Sheriff kept yelling at Chris, Stiles was yelling at Chris.

"Strife," Allison whispered next to me.

I looked at her. "What'd you say?" I knew what she said but I needed to hear it again. That we'd fallen prey to another trap. The room slowly darkened as the sun set.

"Stop!" Allison hollered. "Stop it. This is what he wants. This is exactly what he wants." The room was completely dark, except for the moon light. The men still had their guns aimed, but they stopped yelling.

"Not exactly," Stiles said. "I was kinda hoping Scott would be here. But I'm glad you all have your guns out. Because you're not here to kill me." He turned around and faced the large window, as four Oni appeared through it. "You're here to protect me."

Stiles walked back behind the Sheriff and Chris, as the Oni drew their swords. Chris stepped forward and pulled the trigger, but all the gun did was click. He pulled it a few more times before tossing it and going for his spare. Then he and the Sheriff began shooting the Oni. Two of them vanished into the shadows.

Allison and I moved behind Chris and the Sheriff, facing the front door, forming a box around Stiles to protect him. The two that had vanished reappeared in front of us. Derek came up next to me as Allison pulled out one of her knives. I glanced at Derek, but his eyes were set on the Oni. The Oni rushed forward as my eyes glowed and I growled.


	18. Chapter 18: Think of You

I wasn't quite sure what happened. We were in the heat of the fight and then they vanished. I glanced around the room, my chest heaving from the adrenaline high. Besides us, no one else was here. Stiles, too. He was gone. Does that mean the Oni took him? Or did the Oni leave because Stiles left?

My eyes landed on Derek. He was on the ground, a pained expression on his face. I walked over to him, crouching down next to him as he sat up. He looked like he was just spit out by a tornado. "Are you okay?" The words leave my mouth as I see red on his shoulder. I lean forward, seeing a large gash going across his shoulder and into his back.

"I'm okay," he said with a wince.

"Clearly." I sighed, and then heard movement just outside the door. I quickly stood and faced the door. The Sheriff and Chris pointed their guns at the door as Scott and Kira ran in. They quickly stopped. All guns were lowered once they saw it wasn't Stiles or more Oni.

"What happened?" Scott asked. And then came the next fun hour of rehashing the last twelve hours. But Scott and Kira were able to tell us what they found. Apparently Kira's mom is the one who started all of this, the one who brought this dark spirit here in the first place.

They showed her that photo that Malia and Stiles found on the Nogitsune's body, under Eichen. The girl in the photo was Kira's mom and then the guy was the Nogitsune before he became possessed. When he was just a human. In 1943. Apparently I'm not the only relic. Kira said that her mom is nine hundred years old. So, yeah. She has an extra couple years on me.

But her mom said the only way to stop the Nogitsune is to kill it, to kill Stiles. That's not an option. Not to mention the fact that, had Kira's mom done it right the first time, we wouldn't be here. So, there is that. And now we don't know where Stiles is anyway.

Eventually, everyone dispersed. Derek offered to take me home (actually his words were "I'll take you home." Meaning I had no choice in the matter) and even though I told him it was fine, that I could walk, he didn't care. I was mainly concerned about him, because he didn't appear to me to be healing.

And I wasn't sure if getting behind the wheel was a good idea. But he managed just fine. Something tells me this boy is way too used to pain. The ride was quiet on the way there, but when we approached the house I decided to talk. "Was this something we did, you taking me home?"

"Sometimes." He pulled up next to the curb and put the car in park.

"And the other times?"

"On nights when we were up late doing stuff like this, you'd just sleep at my place."

I nodded, thinking. "Did we ever…" I paused trying to figure out how I wanted to phrase it. I looked at him. "You know…"

He let out a small chuckle. "No. When we slept together, that's all we did. Our relationship was never about that."

"What was it about?"

He looked at me. "Us." He said it so normally, like he'd said it a million times. "As physical as our relationship got was us wanting – needing – to be in the same room together, to know the other was okay, to hear the other's voice. We showed our love for each other in words and actions. Not the way you're thinking."

I could see it in his eyes again. He was remembering the old me. Going back to that time when we loved each other the way we did. The car fell silent. I looked out the windshield in front of me. "I think a lot about why I did what I did. When I killed Tobias." I paused. "If I knew I'd lose my memory, why didn't I tell anyone? Why didn't I tell you?"

"Maybe you couldn't," he said. "Maybe it hurt too much for you to think about not remembering us. You told me that that you was the best version of you. You said that you had lived many lives and that this was the one you regretted leaving the most." His voice was dry, without emotion. Like his brain had checked out.

Maybe he had to say it like that. Maybe it hurt too much not to. But he kept talking. I looked at him. "You said, 'Nothing lasts forever, Derek.'" He looked at me. "You kissed me and then that was it. That was the last I saw you." There it was. The hurt. It's not only in his voice but on his face.

"Maybe…" I swallowed, licked my lips. "Maybe I didn't tell you because I knew it would hurt you too much."

Reality set into his eyes, like he hadn't thought of that. "Maybe…" he said, trailing off. He looked back out the windshield again.

"Derek," I put my hand on his and he looked at it. "Do you think I left you on purpose?" The question sounded crazy to me. If I loved him as much as he says, why would I leave him on purpose? But I had to know. His eyes met mine, and for a second, they looked hurt.

"No," he said. "But that doesn't change this, the outcome."

"Are you mad at me for doing it?"

"I should be." He sighed and looked out the driver's window. I realized that my hand was still on his, but I didn't move it. I liked the feel of his skin on mine. "You did what you thought you had to do." He looked at me. "And I guess I deserve it for some of the things I put you through."

"Maybe," it was a whisper. I looked up at him. "I don't know why I chose to do what I did. But I can tell that you still love me, because I see it in your eyes." I sighed, about to rip off the band aid. "There is something inside of me that wants you, Derek. I just don't know what it is. So I'm asking you to give me a chance. A chance to fall in love with you again."

He smiled and looked away. "What?" I asked.

"I think that's why you did it," he said, looking back at me.

"Why?"

"Because you knew your mind would forget, but not your heart."

He was right. It was my heart that was in control. It's the reason why I feel slightly shaky and have butterflies in my stomach every time he looks at me. It's the reason why, yes, I did get jealous when Emma told me that she and Derek had spent the day finding out that Stiles was the Nogitsune.

It's the same reason why I wanted to kiss him when we were at the pool and he was trying to make me remember. It's the same reason why his words at the sheriff's station affected me so greatly. Why I wanted to go to him tonight when Stiles tossed him like a rag doll, why I did go to him after the Oni left.

And it's the reason why my heart stopped beating when I first saw him, at the black light party. Why I just told him I want to love him again. It's because my heart does. It never stopped loving him. My heart didn't forget anyone. That's why Scott's roar affected me how it did, why Lydia's scream was able to turn me back.

Why I didn't fight Stiles in the loft after he tossed Derek. Why I protected him when the Oni showed up, even though I wanted to rip Stiles' throat out myself for what he did to me. That's why I instinctively pulled Allison back when Evil Stiles stepped toward us. My mind doesn't remember these people, but my heart does.

"I think you're right," I said. "But I still need you to be patient with me. It might take more than a day for me to fall in love with you this time."

"I will," he said. I raised an eye brow. Last time he didn't really stick with it. "I mean it, Beckett." The feeling in my stomach multiplied by a thousand at the sound of him saying my name.

"I like it when you say my name," I smiled. Then I sighed. "It's weird. The way everyone looks at me. Especially when you come up."

"How do they look at you?"

"Like…" I paused, thinking of the right words. "Like when they think of me they think of you. Like it's weird for them to see one of us without the other."

"Yeah, I've been getting those, too," he said with a sigh.

"I'm not sure we'll ever be what we were."

"No. But I wouldn't want to be." He looked at me. "I'm glad I got to know that version of you, but now I just want to know you." But how much of that other me did he actually know? It seems I kept a lot of secrets. I considered telling him about my other life, about what the book said. "But we'll be something."

"Someday." I gave his hand a light squeeze and then got out of the car, deciding not to tell him. I don't want to ruin this moment we're having. Maybe that's why I never told him. I could never find the right time. Once my feet were on the ground, I turned and looked back at him. "One last thing. Part of that whole being patient with me thing."

"What is it?"

"Please don't say you love me, because I might not say it back," I said, then smiled. "And that would be a shame."


End file.
